Vote No To Increased Debt
Vote No To Increased Debt
To the Editor:
Newtown should not accept cost overruns for the high school expansion. First the size of this expansion has been difficult to justify based on several population projections. If we find five or ten years from now that we have empty space someone should be held accountable. I am tired of government spending my money irresponsibly.
Next, if you were building a home for $400,000 and the builder came to you and said, âGee Iâm sorry this house will cost you an additional $62,000 for at total of $462,000,â I doubt you would continue with what you had planned. (I would also probably fire the builder.) Well that is what we are being asked to swallow. I canât believe with the building slowdown and drop in oil prices we canât get a better deal. With a lack of confidence in the size and now questions on how accurate this bid was â I am not for just continuing to sign up for more debt.
Already this addition without the added costs will have a dramatic impact on our taxes without any other spending increases. Today the average home in Newtown is assessed at $344,579. Based on the current mill rate 23.2 that house would have a tax bill of $7,994.23. I was told by the first selectman with increases due to the school bond and the related expenses to operate which he expected to run $1.5 million, the effect after the first year is a mill rate of 0.6 for the school bond and 0.4 for the operations which is a 1 mill increase. So, on that same house, the new tax bill, before any new budget changes would be $8,338.81, an increase of $344.58 or 4.3 percent.
Lastly, Connecticut has the highest total taxes in the country and the rate in Newtown continues to go up faster than the surrounding communities. And if the rate of increases continues we will be paying nearly the highest in the state. Something has got to give. Home sales have slowed dramatically here and prices are coming down.
If we want more money for the town, expand the business base. No more taxes on the backs of homeowners.
Warren Hoppmeyer
23 Cobblers Mill Road, Sandy Hook                         October 1, 2008