To the Editor:The Bee and, in particular, only the part that Newtown is one of the highest taxed towns in the nation based upon its mill rate. I guess this means he agrees with the primary point of my letter, which was that the state is in serious financial difficulty, and whose legislature is likely to soon make things worse by passing another enormous tax increase, borrowing more and/or cutting aid to certain towns instead of taking meaningful steps to limit the cost of living and working in this state. However, regarding his specific assertion that my letter was confusing about the citing of mill rates, I offer the following clarification.

I suppose I should feel flattered that Bruce Walczak chose to comment on my recent letter to

While it is true that mill rates are affected by several factors, it is for that reason the state department of OPM periodically publishes a study that equalizes mill rates and provides a better way to compare tax rates among various towns. The most recent data FYE 2014 can be found on their website, www.ct.gov/opm, Municipal Fiscal Indicators, C-18. That data shows Newtown's Equalized Mill Rate is the 43rd highest out of 169 towns. Additionally, compared to ten neighboring towns, (Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, Monroe, Trumbull, Southbury, New Milford, New Fairfield, Ridgefield, and Redding) we have the highest Equalized Mill Rate.

Also, given the fact that by most national studies, Connecticut ranks as either the first, second, or third highest taxed states in the nation, and that Newtown ranks in the upper 25 percent of towns in the state (based upon Equalized Mill Rates), I stand by my initial conclusion regarding the increasingly unaffordable burden being placed upon us primarily by the state and, by extension, the town.

Certainly, if Mr Walczak believes that we are not a highly taxed town then he should try and make that case, but I think it will prove to be a tough sell to a lot of Newtown homeowners who believe otherwise.

Joe Kearney

9 Daniels Hill Road, Newtown        April 22, 2016