The Voters Are Not ‘Confused’

To the Editor:

I was pleased to see that the town’s voters rejected the proposed 2003–2004 budget. However, I was dismayed to read the comments of local officials who seemed to think that the electorate was in some way “confused.” Voters were not confused! We were stating that in such austere times it is inappropriate for our town government to be requesting a 4.5 percent, or $3.5 million, increase in spending. Most of this proposed increase is coming from the Board of Education budget, which has a 10.8 percent, or $3.9 million, increase in salaries and benefits. At my company, salaries and benefits have been limited to a three percent increase and employees have been asked to pay a larger share of health insurance costs, while my wife’s company has instituted an across-the-board 20 percent salary cut and has frozen salaries until the economy improves.

In addition to the Board of Education budget, I was also concerned with the town’s debt service, which is paying over three percent in interest on a majority of the bonds outstanding. If these bonds are callable, the town should refinance its debt now while interest rates are at 50-year lows.

On a final note, I would like to thank The Newtown Bee for publishing a copy of the detailed budget proposal. It definitely helped to foster an “informed” vote rather than a “confused” one.

Anthony Riskalla

21 Head of Meadow Road, Newtown                           April 28, 2003