To the Editor:

As I have knocked doors and talked to hundreds of my neighbors, themes have emerged of pressures and uncertainty. Many can no longer justify high costs to remain with a stagnant state economy. They see their money go further elsewhere, and when one family departs, that burden is shifted.

We have a responsibility to right size our government and manage our spending. In the last two years, spending has increased — up $2,694,185 then another $3,162,715 — more than any of the prior five, and all but one of the prior nine (the year after the tragedy).

Some is for roads, which I support, but most of the increases have come from the Board of Education. What are we getting for our spending? Our administration is compensated near the top of our group, yet many metrics place our schools in the bottom third.

Not all spending is good spending; it comes down to value. For example, the BOE recently asked the Selectmen to consider taking a business-professional zones property off the tax roles with a budgeted cost of $450K, plus the costs of demolition, abatement, and paving to add a driveway and additional parking, this during a period where enrollment is down nearly 38 percent. The Selectmen correctly noted that the Borough has a village parking concept and this has been passed on before during peak enrollment.

A case can be made for any spending, but questions need to be asked about priorities, planning, and value. Could $450,000 not be better used to help the teachers in our classrooms? What is the longterm plan? Is this additional expense and shifted tax burden too much for those struggling among us? These are the type of questions I will ask if elected to the Legislative Council.

Thank you.

William DeRosa

Boxwood Farm

60 Taunton Hill, Newtown October 23, 2019