An F For IPN Answers To Zero-Based Budgeting (Part 2)

To the Editor:

Please excuse the short continuation necessary for purposes of a more complete and thorough analysis of the IPN answers to Zero-Based Budgeting. For the first part of ZBB, see Chris Lyddy’s letter to the editor this week. For the entire analysis, please see www.thenewtowndemocrats.com. The continuation follows:

5. IPN further answered, on the town side, “We believe our town utilizes an incremental budget system, which uses previous year numbers as the basis for proposing the current budget. This year the town departments projected the 2007-08 proposed budget utilizing the 2006-07 budget rather than from the forecasted actuals for 2006-07.” Again, absolutely incorrect! The town, like the school system, goes through rigorous defenses and justification of each and every request at ground level, from department heads to Board of Selectmen, to Board of Finance, to Legislative Council, to taxpayer. It would have been nice if IPN bothered to inquire of someone such as the town’s director of finance, Ben Spragg, before making such an erroneous allegation.

6. IPN refused to address specific methods of implementation of ZBB. They refused to answer the number of hours, the number of personnel, and the costs ZBB would require. Without any foundation, IPN stated no loss-of-services were anticipated, but the reality is clearly to the contrary. ZBB is heavy-handed and will cost our town and schools dearly, making them worse, not better.

7. Most disturbing is that IPN consulted with no town officials, no school officials, or any consultants that would help them understand the workings of ZBB or the budgeting methods that are currently in place. For a group that espouses long-term planning, this is indeed surprising.

8. In several questions they completely misunderstood the question (or evaded it), in others, for example, No. 21, they chose to ignore the question completely and refused to answer the ZBB questions for various workings on the town side.

In summary, it is clear that either IPN does not understand zero-based budgeting or they support massive cuts to town services and children’s education. Perhaps some in their group don’t understand while others want such destructive cuts. In short, IPN gets an F for its actual answers, but an A for its self-aggrandized flummery, mummery, and hoopla for having responded. ZBB is a mammoth creature, is cost prohibitive, would unduly tax our resources, and would effectively gut our children’s education and our town services. We would be indulged in more procedure than service. It appears that hardly anyone supports ZBB except for a few IPN people who won’t reveal their names. Republican and Democratic candidates oppose ZBB. I suggest that one not consider any IPN candidate or endorsed candidate who does not come out openly and express his or her opposition to the zero-based budgeting method.

(For the entire truth responses to IPN’s alleged “answers” to the 21 ZBB questions, see the website www.thenewtowndemocrats.com). (Self-categorization, vice chairperson Board of Finance). Thank you.

Jim Gaston

18 Main Street, Newtown                                           October 24, 2007