Some Thoughts

On The Tax Rate

To the Editor:

I’d like to say a word about the town’s taxes. I was thinking about our taxes after reading Bill Collins’ column on taxes last week (July 21) in this paper. I enjoy reading him as he usually has some interesting points, but he somewhat missed the mark last week. He bashes Greenwich (which is always fun) because its tax rate is only 8.71 mills, contrasting it with Norwalk where the tax rate is an unhappy 18.66 mills (compared to Newtown where my tax bill says the rate is a great big 29.50 mills). He seems to feel the difference in tax rates is inequitable and is due to Norwalk and other cities having “poverty stricken citizens” and subsidized housing.

Well, Greenwich does have its share of subsidized housing; however, I don’t think that has anything to do with the tax rate. Greenwich has a low tax rate because years ago the town was facing bankruptcy. At that point the town fathers decided that from then on the town would pursue a Pay-As-You-Go policy. This policy is similar to that followed by a reasonable family. They don’t buy something unless they can afford to pay for it. Greenwich still follows this policy today and as a consequence the taxpayers don’t have the burden of having to pay on a pile of bonded debt. So, obviously the tax rate is low.

Pursuing a Pay-As-You-Go policy requires good planning and hard decisions on the part of responsible town officials. Perhaps what is inequitable is that the taxpayers in some other towns aren’t lucky enough to have had and to have such responsible town officials.

According to this newspaper, last year Newtown was one of the most indebted towns in the state, being the fourth deepest in debt. (I think it was the fourth.) From what I read lately, the town is planning, but planning to be number one deepest in debt with, of course, the corresponding taxes. And even if Bill Collins is right I don’t see Newtown having a lot of “poverty stricken citizens” or subsidized housing as an excuse for its tax rate.

James W. Macauley

15 Taunton Lake Road                                                 July 25, 2000