22 Percent Is Not The Solution

To the Editor:

I know they say to wait until you’ve calmed down to talk to someone you’re angry with, but if I do that the deadline will be past. I feel like I write the same letter after every election and referendum. I am beginning to think I write it purely for my own well-being. If the people I wrote it for would read it, I wouldn’t need to keep repeating it.

I was at the middle school Tuesday when they announced the results. First, they shared the voting turnout. It was 22 percent. To me, that meant 22 percent of the people in this town care about what happens here. Only 22 percent of Newtown’s citizens care about their taxes, the school system, roads, or even emergency services. Seventy-eight percent of the people in this town apparently love to see class sizes rise to 30 or more and don’t care if it takes two days for their roads to be plowed because the town can’t pay enough people to plow. That amazes me. No, it angers me.

Even before they announced the results, I decided I was going to write this letter reminding people that we live in a democracy. The very essence of a democracy is that people have a voice. The only problem is, the town doesn’t hear all the people who complain about class sizes over dinner or at birthday parties. You need to actually go to the polls and vote for your voice to be heard.

I could tell you that we’re fighting in Iraq for them to get this right, but you know that. I could tell you that we fought a war to gain this right, but you know that, too. What you may not know, is that if you had the time to read this letter, you had the time to vote. It really doesn’t take very long, and in all honesty, even though I took the time to write this, I’d rather you vote than take the time to read it.

The budget lost by only 53 votes. That is the equivalent of one class of kids having both parents vote. Think about how many classes there are in Newtown, and you’ll realize what a low number this is. Regardless, it forces the Legislative Council to cut something from the budget.

In two weeks you’ll have another chance to show you care about the town we live in. I would love to see the budget pass. Yes, Newtown has a great school system, but we can’t just say that. We need to actually support it, and that means supporting the budget. It amazes me that so many people move to Newtown so their kids can go to school here, and then vote No because they don’t want to pay for it. You can’t have it both ways.

Please, realize the opportunity you have, and vote. No one can do it for you. You need to vote for yourself, and if you want to keep the quality of the town we live in, you need to vote Yes.

Sincerely,

Sarah Hemingway

10 Overlook Knoll, Sandy Hook                                     April 26, 2006