Budget Round Two

To the Editor:

Councilman Dan Amaral’s suggestion to hold the line on budget increases is right on target.

Our long-term goal is to reduce our property tax burden.

To do this we must begin with accepting nothing less than a budget freeze.

If we cannot hold the line on spending during these economic times, it will never happen. “Modest” increases won’t do and shows an unwillingness of our elected officials to get serious about taxes.

Town officials are telling the voters that they really can’t cut much from the budget.

That it’s “out of their hands,” “nondiscretionary,” “there will be pain.”

We even hear calls from our fellow citizens to “change the way we approve budgets,” claiming not enough citizens are involved.

The answer to this is: that by not participating, the absent voters proxy their vote to those who do show up at the polls.

Talk of low voter margins and turnout are never an issue when the budget has passed by very slim margins in the past.

We all know the outcome when politicians are allowed to set the budget (and our tax burden) without us pesky taxpayers having our say!

Just look at the state and federal budgets.

In Newtown we have structural budget issues which much be addressed.

Taxpayers can no longer be counted on to bankroll out of control spending year after year.

Let’s fund the town government at current levels and let our elected officials make the tough decisions regarding how to spend it. This is what is done on a daily basis in private households. This is what the public requested at the budget public hearing and what they said at the referendum.

Is anybody listening?

Ronald Polard

5 Point O’ Rocks Road, Newtown                                  April 29, 2011