To the Editor:

My name is Carol Walsh, and I am running for Legislative Council D3. If you have been following this year’s local elections, you will have heard nearly every candidate speak of “fiscal responsibility” while some also talk about “rooting out waste.” No doubt every candidate, irrespective of political affiliation, would like to hold down taxes (we are taxpayers, too)! However, I am wary of those who purport that “rooting out waste” is an easy solution to rising taxes. With 28 board members, Democrat, Republican, and unaffiliated, from the BOS, BOE, BOF, and LC providing oversight for our combined town budget, there is little chance that significant waste would not have been rooted out long ago.

The reality is that schools, roads, and services cost money. If we want to hold costs down, we must make hard choices on where to spend and where not to spend. As our First Selectman has stated many times, it is about differentiating between needs and wants.

On the other side of the equation is our revenue stream. Increasing the grand list will relieve pressure on individual taxpayers, but we must be careful that this does not have a negative impact on our quality of life. I will not support development that diminishes the character of Newtown.

Fiscal responsibility starts with setting priorities and sticking to them, and that means making some tough choices. Responsible budgeting must go hand-in-hand with responsible development. I believe that schools, roads, and public safety must be our top priorities. While I support an expansion of our commercial/industrial tax base, this must be done in a sustainable manner that is compatible with the rural New England character that makes Newtown a desirable place to live and work.

Carol Walsh

3 North Branch Road, Newtown October 30, 2019