To the Editor:

In both recent Letters to the Editor and in a recent Facebook Forum sponsored by this newspaper, representatives of the Legislative Council (LC) and the Charter Review Commission (CRC) have stressed that their proposal to eliminate the Board of Finance had bipartisan support on the LC and is therefore not a “power grab” by one party or the other. I agree with that. Voters know our LC often alternates between majority Republican and majority Democrat control.

In partisan politics, what goes around comes around. Chalking the proposed elimination of the Board up to partisanship is not what makes it a really bad idea.

Advocates for elimination of the Board say that things would be smoother and more efficient without it, and they say they would create an alternative within the LC that would do a better job. Why go through that trouble? First, once the Board is eliminated, it’s gone. Five years until we can reconsider what’s been done and whether it’s good or not. The LC would have broad discretion to decide how it wanted to deal with financial policy and budget issues.

It matters a lot whether the LC implements an ad hoc subcommittee or a task force of experts, or some other structure. Newtown voters should have a say in that choice. Second, if the LC sets up a subcommittee or an advisory group, will that really speed things up ? Issues will ping-pong back and forth as they always do in a democracy. It’s a pain, but it’s part of having these important issues be well considered.

An independent Board is without doubt the best way to do that. Third, although Newtown has an admirable debt rating and is in good financial shape, clouds are gathering over the global economy and it might not be a great time to experiment with our local financial processes.

It ain’t broke, so we don’t need to take this extreme step. Any alternative to the Board should be considered by the voters. Elsewhere in this newspaper, recent Newtown First Selectmen, the current members of the Board, and present members of the LC and the CRC have all come out in favor of keeping the Board.

It’s a bad idea, it won’t help the process, it’s poorly considered, and we shouldn’t be taking a voice away from the voters.

Vote NO on Question 2.

Peter Schwarz

Newtown