Keep The Cost Of Governing Down

To the Editor:

To the public who elected me to the Board of Assessment Appeals many heartfelt, “Thanks to You,” for your kind support. I know what you would like me to do and I will try my best and hardest to fulfill your hope, however, it is your actions that determine what can be done to keep the taxes down by keeping the assessments down.

It is important to remember that our public tax-supported school system does extraordinary things above and beyond what other public school systems do or even private school systems do. These entitlements have to come from you the tax-paying public. What are entitlements? Entitlements are either charity or welfare. The money has to come from you the taxpaying public.

The school board has set themselves up as an advocate for Newtown school children, who already come from wealthy and well-educated homes. Their goal seems to be to give these well-provided-for children even more privileges and pleasures by forcing the taxpaying public to pay up or move out. It cost the taxpaying public about $12,000 per year, per public school child. A family that moves into town with three normal children costs the taxpaying public $36,000 a year and perhaps the parents pay about $8,000 real estate taxes. The Board of Education is a public education system funded by a taxpaying public whose duty it is to provide school children with an excellent basic education. Fun and other stuff must come from the parents who should want to raise their children their way.

The town already recognizes the effort First Selectman Rosenthal makes to control costs of the individual departments under his control. It is up to the school board to keep as frontlets before their eyes that a $70 million yearly budget (including new and added on school buildings) for 5,000 school children is excessive and must be controlled.

The taxpaying public should make their view known by attending the meetings of the Board of Education.

Perhaps, it is time that a voucher program was in order for this expensive school system.

Perhaps, it is time to revise the newly formed Board of Finance the last charter revision created.

Perhaps, it is time for the housing developers to pay a tax on all bedrooms over three and include rooms that can be used as permanent bedrooms.

To keep our assessments low we must keep our cost of governing down. And that is up to you the taxpaying public.

With respect,

Lillian Strickler

6 Tamarack Road, Newtown                               November 11, 2003