Moving Away From Yes

To the Editor:

I believe I can speak for many voters when I say that I am trying to get a Yes, and it has not gotten any easier since last Wednesday. A week ago, those of us who attended the Legislative Council meeting were given a sheet called Cuts with Additional Needs. Since there is now an additional $200,000 being made available, I expected that sheet to be updated to reverse some of the line items listed as possible reductions and made public so that we can decide whether or not we can support this budget. Not only have we not heard what potential cuts can be reversed, there continues to be confusion about whether or not full-day kindergarten will be implemented.

There have been many conflicting statements about whether or not full-day kindergarten is included in the budget. The BOE’s comment that full-day kindergarten was not supported by the voters as the first referendum stated, as recently as the Legislative Council meeting on June 6, and the recent discussion of replacing full-day kindergarten with “enhanced day care” at the BOE meeting on June 5 are causing more confusion and anger.

I am not sure how anyone can make the statement that the voters didn’t support full-day kindergarten on April 24; we can only guess as to why the first budget failed. It is clear that Newtown voters did not want an increase in their taxes, but as to where reductions in the budget should be made was anyone’s guess.

Every day without answers, more voters are moving away from Yes.

Kym Camputo

7 Adams Hill, Newtown               June 13, 2012