To the Editor:

There are more than 4,000 senior residents who are asked again to vote on the new school budget, which has an increase of 2.90 percent to educate 4,623 students with an expenditure of nearly $16,656 per student. Then consider the fact that since 2006-07 school year, the school budget has increased by $10.2 million while the school population has decreased by an estimated 1,243 students. The expenditure per student in 2006 was $10,568 to education 5,714 students. A recent projected cost estimate (Chung study) has envisioned that in 2020 the cost per student may rise to over $19,000. This scenario raises some serious concerns and questions among seniors who hope to live that long. How will they be able to confront these increased tax burdens knowing that Social Security and their savings will not increase to cover the cost of living?

Does the town leadership realize that senior savings have been depleted by the extraordinary real estate tax increases put especially upon new condo owners and other residents?

Considering all the new expenditures in the capital improvement plan which will increase the tax burden on not only seniors, but all residents, have we reached "a tipping point" where Newtown residents need to think about where we are and where we are headed?

The town leadership seems to focus on spending every dollar but seems incapable of calling for and implementing "a moratorium on spending." Seniors hear that they are an important segment of the population that helps to pay the bills. But the reality is that the services provided are disproportionate to the financial support they provide, as evidenced by a small, inadequate center that keeps them from developing a social and political identity.

I continue to restate this idea because seniors are being deprived of a presumed right in pursuing their lives with equal representation, considering their increased tax burden. I contend that seniors are also being deprived of adequate public accommodations to socialize and continue their lifelong learning. The current tax relief program is flawed because it never distributes all the money allotted each year in the program, and because many seniors do not meet the inequitable criteria.

Does this current administration have a moral and ethical responsibility to recognize that seniors and other residents will be forced to sell at a loss because they will not be able to remain, faced with increased taxation and living off a fixed income?

Seniors have attempted to gain representation, offering proposals and ideas that would bring about equitable tax relief solutions that would reduce the senior tax burden. We now realize as a result of a number of encounters that many of these elected officials have their own agenda and seem to talk the talk, but not walk the walk. Consequently, many seniors have lost interest in participating in government meetings. Seniors have lost interest in voting on referendums. I believe this forthcoming vote on Tuesday, April 26, is critical for seniors if they ever wish to gain the representation and recognition they deserve.

Rudy Magnan

60 Watkins Drive, Sandy Hook                                      April 20, 2016