While they may not choose to participate, most of its 2,000 residents would likely agree that the Borough of Newtown’s two most significant political activities are its annual budget vote and its election of leadership.

Both of those events occurred in recent days. And both generated turnouts representing a fraction of eligible participants.

The disinterest in Newtown’s town-wide April budget referendum that drew just under 9% of eligible Newtown residents also appears to be prevalent among the roughly 1,400 qualified electors in the Borough of Newtown — technically a separate municipality with its own government structure encompassing a number of neighborhoods surrounding Main Street and the center of town.

As previously reported in The Newtown Bee, the borough’s latest election provided no candidate options for voters as its entire slate of elected officials was unopposed. Faced with a decision to cast a ballot where the final outcome is already known, only about 2%, or 29 of those 1,400 electors, bothered to turn out during the 14 hours polls were open, May 3.

Regardless of that turnout, the cost to taxpayers was the same according to Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton: approximately $3,000.

Eight days later, the annual borough budget vote that was held in a live forum at Edmond Town Hall Theatre inspired a similar response, with 33 residents participating, including many of the officials who were seated after the May 3 election.

While the top elected official among them, Warden Joseph “Jay” Maher said he was not pleased about the election participation, he noted the budget turnout was consistent with numbers from most previous years. In fact, the borough budget cannot be passed by fewer than 20 qualified voters, so Maher delayed initiating the May 11 vote for a few minutes beyond its 7:30 pm call in order to ensure he had at least the minimum number of qualified participants in the auditorium.

‘Disappointed with 29’

Looking back on the two events the following morning, Maher was somewhat reticent.

“As far as the election is concerned, I’m disappointed with 29. That was less than half the turnout two years ago,” the borough warden pointed out. “But I’m not reading too much into the quietness of the two votes because I’ve seen that when topics of interest arise, borough residents mobilize.”

Case in point, the 2018 borough budget vote drew so many that it had to be postponed because the meeting space could not safely accommodate the 120-plus residents who showed up to have their say.

Maher said the minimal participation in either borough exercise this year likely reflected a general comfort with the status quo, although he noticed that attendance for COVID-era virtual Board of Burgess meetings that typically drew a handful of residents each month in person had dwindled.

“When I took over, our meetings would typically draw eight to ten residents,” he said. “We always encourage public participation, and recognize that taxes are always an issue.”

But in recent years as borough leaders have been fortunate to rely on reserves to help fund upcoming budgets, even the most engaged citizens have curtailed or stopped participating altogether.

Senior Burgess Christopher Gardner said that as residential and commercial building activities have ramped up in recent years, permit and other related fees have brought a windfall of sorts to bolster the borough’s reserve fund.

“We’ve been fortunate the past few years to generate some significant revenues from building projects in the borough and it was important this year to return more of that money to the borough taxpayers and not raise taxes,” said Gardner, who is also an elected member of Newtown’s Board of Finance.

“It’s a very solid budget,” he added, “I’m very pleased that we were able to reduce expenses without impacting services and again lower the tax rate.”

“This year’s proposed budget is $216,720,” Maher previously told The Newtown Bee. “This reflects a decrease of $8,800 from the current budget.”

Borough Budget Details

The proposed 2021-22 borough mill rate is 0.64, a modest decrease from the current 0.66 — representing the lowest taxation has been in eight years.

Maher said another reason for low voter participation in the election and budget could have to do with the fact that he makes himself available to every resident who reaches out with concerns. As a result, he is not prioritizing electorate engagement on his punch list of official duties.

“I am readily available to our residents and all our meetings are posted,” he said. “I’m always there if approached, but that’s not very often.”

The combination of 33 qualified residents and officials on hand May 11 unanimously endorsed a 2022 borough budget totaling $216,720 that will levy $161,931 in taxation after an offset of $54,789 from reserve.

The highest cost line items for the coming borough fiscal cycle include:

*$10,000 — streets and parks;

*$27,000 — street lights;

*$10,000 — sidewalks;

*$15,000 — legal fees;

*$69,000 — fire hydrants;

*$6,700 — audit;

*$6,500 — fire department (contribution);

*$4,000 — data processing;

*$3,000 — contingency; and

*$3,000 — office maintenance & supplies.

Funds allocated to stipends or payroll include: $3,800 to the assessor; $6,000 to the clerk; $7,500 to the tax collector; $5,000 to the treasurer; $2,500 to the warden; $4,000 to building officials; $8,000 to the zoning officer; $2,000 to the building clerk; $2,500 to the tree warden; $1,800 to the engineer; and $1,000 to the conservation director.

As warden, Maher says he is “acutely aware” of the burden that any taxation puts on a household, and with that in mind, he “strives to exercise good government, to spend wisely, and be accessible” to any constituent with concerns.

“There are residents who watch that bottom line because we maintain some significant line items in the budget,” Maher said. “In recent years building fees have helped keep tax increases [in check] but I also know that is not sustainable over the long term. But for now, I’m just grateful to be able to keep the tax levy down.”

As far as public participation in borough matters is concerned, Gardner related that residents will get out of it what they put into it.

““The borough is a real treasure,” the senior burgess said, “and people should always feel welcome to get involved, whether they want to serve on a board or just come to a meeting or vote on the budget. “

Associate Editor John Voket can be reached at john@thebee.com.