Unrealistic Expectations

To the Editor:

A 4.64 percent budget increase! I read this in The Bee and said to myself, “Dr. Robinson you must be kidding. What planet have you been on?” You can’t really expect that kind of increase, can you? Didn’t our wonderful governor just give us the largest tax increase in the state’s history? Haven’t our home prices dropped 10 percent, 20 percent, or even 30 percent over the past four years? And a recent study said Connecticut earned the honor of the worst state to retire in. And you want a 4.64 percent increase?

Superintendent, I’d love to see our school’s budget go up that much or more, but I hope the town’s Board of Finance and Legislative Council have a way of raising this revenue without increasing property taxes! Good luck given this economic climate.

To the school board, I believe we all expect the best education we can give our kids, but I believe we have to find ways to do it without more money. I don’t see anything wrong if we fall to the 149 spot out of 169 towns in the state in per pupil expenditure. I hope you have another way to pay for this superintendent other than by increasing our property taxes.

Warren Hoppmeyer

23 Cobblers Mill Road, Sandy Hook                       January 27, 2012