How To Save $15 Million

To the Editor:

I am writing to express my support for the 2008-2009 town/schools operating budget and for the high school expansion project. I am convinced that the Board of Education side of the budget is as lean as it will ever be without reducing the current level of services. I congratulate our new superintendent, Dr Janet Robinson, for putting forward a budget with the lowest increase in ten years. It seems to me that the Board of Education considered the taxpayers and the recent townwide survey by Paul Lundquist when this budget was prepared.

Regarding the high school expansion project, I don’t know if it’s the right size, too big or too small. But I do know that an expansion is needed and every year that we put it off will cost us far more in the short term and the long term than we would save if we downsized the project to reflect lower student enrollment projections.

The high school expansion project is necessary and overdue. One way or another, it will happen because the conditions today are not acceptable. If we wait another year or two, the cost will increase by millions of dollars as we have seen so many times in Newtown when critical projects are deferred. I consider Tuesday’s referendum as an opportunity to save Newtown’s taxpayers the extra $5 million or so that it will cost us if we wait a year or two.

Please come out and vote to support the budget and the expansion project. Then we can focus our attention on saving another $10 million by canceling the new town hall project, which voters rejected in the townwide referendum, and replacing it with something that voters will support.

Kevin Fitzgerald

24 Old Farm Hill Road, Newtown                                 April 17, 2008