Newtown’s Financial Processes

Are Hard To Understand

(The following letter to the Charter Revision Commission has been received for publication.)

To the members of the Charter Revision Commission:

For one year, I have been attempting to learn how Newtown manages its finances. It has been a daunting task, which requires extraordinary time and effort to comprehend the process of approving the operating budget and the capital expenditures. It took me six months to find the CIP guidelines after requesting information from our town clerk, our financial director, Board of Finance members, and our Legislative Council members. It should be much easier for a resident to find such information.

It has been especially challenging to fully comprehend the Capital Improvement Plan and the rationale for the guidelines created by the BOF. In attempting to understand the CIP, I have recently submitted two letters with multiple questions to the BOF, which is very relevant to the discussion you are currently having regarding the BOF and the CIP. There are numerous questions regarding the CIP process and the BOF self-imposed guidelines. (It appears that the CIP guidelines have created a policy for an advisory group, and it has crippled the ability for other boards to make long-term decisions due to the imposed spending limitation.)

When researching the issue of the high school space needs, I have been stunned by the lack of long-term planning involved in managing the finances of Newtown. It appears that the current form of government has created multiple levels of processes, which seem to be shortsighted and lack a long-term vision for Newtown. The process is also so complex and lengthy that the residents of Newtown have difficulty understanding the processes thus creating apathy or divisiveness. It appears that there has been a shift of power away from the voters of Newtown. As a voter, in order to be heard, I have had to attend many BOE, BOF, selectmen, and LC meetings to express my concerns related to long-term strategic planning for Newtown. The majority of residents are not able to devote their time to attend the numerous meetings to be heard. Despite attending numerous meetings for one full year, I am not certain that I can make an impact on the final decision being made by our town officials.

I believe your commission has the responsibility to shift some power back to the voters of Newtown and make sure that all boards are accountable to every resident in Newtown. We cannot continue on this path of division. It is unfair to state that if we take care of our children in Newtown then we are not able to take care of our elders in Newtown. It is also unfair to mischaracterize a group of residents who advocate for a long-term strategic plan as a “special interest group.” Every resident will benefit from having a sound long-term strategic plan for Newtown.

I believe that your commission has the responsibility to create a form of government who works diligently in a collaborative fashion to move Newtown forward in a positive direction. The divisiveness that exists today will not move Newtown forward.

Po Murray

38 Charter Ridge Drive, Sandy Hook                  October 10, 2006