To the Editor:

Please be sure to vote in the town-wide referendum on Saturday to accept the grant that will fund rebuilding of Sandy Hook Elementary School.  We fully support the unanimous decision made by all 28 town officials from all three parties representing the Board of Selectmen, Board of Education, Legislative Council and the Board of Finance.

In our opinion, there is nothing controversial about this plan, but our Town Charter does require that we vote at a town-wide referendum to approve the receipt and spending of this state grant. Accepting this grant will not have any impact on our local property taxes, and has already been approved by the CT General Assembly and the State Bond Commission.

Passing this referendum on Saturday will allow plans to continue with the demolition and rebuilding of the 56-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School and result in the return of nearly 450 students to Newtown by 2016. We stand united, from different political parties, to move Newtown forward and openly advocate for all Newtowners to vote “yes” at the referendum this Saturday October 5th at the Middle School.

We are both members of the Legislative Council but our opinions are our own as concerned residents of Newtown.

Paul Lundquist

148 Currituck Rd, Newtown

Neil Chaudhary

1 Southbrook Lane, Newtown                           October 1, 2013