Painted Into A Corner

To the Editor:

I am afraid that the Legislative Council has painted itself into a corner. The first budget referendum failed and they followed historic precedent by making some cuts before presenting it for another vote. When the public rejected this second budget, the council decided to increase it and present it to the public for a third vote, and it passed.

The only message the Legislative Council can draw from the two rejections and then passage after an increase, is that when the voters reject a budget, it is because it is too low. What will the council do next year if the budget is rejected the first time? Increase it before presenting it again? This is not just a quandary for the LC, but it is also an open invitation to all town agencies to be less concerned about the size of their budgets before the Board of Finance does its trimming, because if the budget is defeated, the council will interpret the rejection as a call to make increases.

Without advisory questions and a bifurcated budget with separate votes on town and school budgets, it will be impossible for the Legislative Council to determine why a budget is defeated. If next year’s budget is not passed on the first try, it will be the Legislative Council’s worst nightmare.

George Caracciolo

Schoolhouse Hill Road, Newtown                                     June 9, 2010