Reducing Municipal Spending

To the Editor:

Elections are more than just picking the best candidates; they are a way of settling big issues. Productive elections are those that frame the most important issues of the day, with opposing candidates offering real choices that stimulate meaningful debate. This year’s election is important because it frames a vital debate about our town’s fiscal policy at a time when our economy stands on shaky grounds.

Given the failed budget referendums in the past years, it seems clear that the public wants municipal spending reduced. I am running for first selectman, and Po Murray for selectman to offer the voters a clear choice, a choice to reduce municipal spending by five percent over two years.

I have been part of the budget review process as a member of the Board of Selectmen for the past two years. We spend a few long meetings going through department head requests for funding. We did reduce some of those requests, yet overall spending did not go down. Missing from the process was a focused discussion or strategy with a goal of reducing spending on a $28 million budget.

My plan is simple and makes good sense. The reason we think we can’t reduce spending is because we haven’t thought differently about how we do things. If elected, I will lead a change in culture that demands new ideas. My pledge is to provide a vision and a mindset that seeks better methods of doing what we do for less cost, one which seeks to bring a process that is rooted in measuring performance and producing taxpayer value.

Determining the true cost and value of the services we provide must be the starting point. We must analyze of our organization and create a framework for value-based decisionmaking. Every one of our department budgets must document that the tax dollars spent are indeed producing taxpayer value, or they will face potential reductions.

To those who claim we can’t reduce municipal spending by five percent, I ask: Why can’t we? The answer seems to be because we cling to an outdated idea that we must keep doing things the same way. I believe that it is far better for us to get ahead of future budget referendum failures and plan how we can effectively cut our costs now, before the electorate forces us to do so.

This year the voters have a clear choice in the race for first selectman and Board of Selectmen. Vote for the IPN candidates, Bill Furrier and Po Murray who will reduce municipal spending by five percent over two years, or vote for the incumbents, who say we can’t. For more information, visit www.IPN2011.com.

Bill Furrier

9 Erin Lane, Sandy Hook                                            October 26, 2011