Reasons To Vote No

To the Editor:

Why I am voting No on the town budget next Tuesday:

1. The BOE requested budget increase was needed to maintain the same level of education currently implemented

2. The BOE requested budget would need to increase further in order to return to “Blue Ribbon Status”

3. The BOE budget request was cut by $2.5 million. Since then approximately $1.3 million in savings have been identified leaving approximately $1.2 million short-fall to maintaining current levels of service

a. This decrease was necessary due to a decrease in state funding (transfer of state taxation to local taxation), reductions in town revenues and to meet an arbitrarily set three percent maximum property tax increase

b. Remember the state mandates student services then cuts education funding!

4. Four of seven BOE members state that cuts can be made without eliminating teaching positions. The BOE has had months to identify these cuts (during the budget process) but none have been made public. Three of seven BOE members (one Democrat, one Republican, and one Independent) believe these cuts are not possible without greatly affecting the quality of education.

5. The current budget will necessitate the elimination of 15 teaching positions and 11 assistant teaching positions.

6. Elimination of teaching positions only save taxpayers a portion of the salary cuts because almost three quarters will be paid by the town in the form of unemployment benefits in the 2010-2011 (26 weeks pay) and 2011-2012 (13 weeks pay) budgets

7. Do we really want to send 26 Newtown employees “out on the street” in this economy?

8. Any savings identified by the BOE during the 2010-2011 budget-year will be turned over to the town in June 2011 (as savings from this year will be turned over in June of this year). The town government can then decide to return this money to the taxpayers through reductions in revenues (taxes) in 2011-2012.

9. The Legislative Counsel can add back money into the budget to off-set these reductions as well as increase aid to senior citizens who need help due to cuts in state aid and lack of Social Security cost of living increases.

Some will say we can’t afford any more cuts and want taxpayers to vote Yes. We need to stand up to this reduction in teachers which will lead to increases in class sizes and decreases in class offerings in high school (Advanced Placement courses, fewer offerings of popular classes, etc). This is happening at a time when global competition is increasing rapidly. Our children will be competing for good jobs with children from China, India, Japan, Germany, etc. They will have an unfair disadvantage. I am living this now. Good paying jobs for scientists like me are going to these counties. This isn’t a plea from an irate parent. This is a plea from a concerned US Citizen.

Please stand with me and vote No on Tuesday, May 18. Then write and call all the Legislative Council members asking them to return some or all of the much needed $1.2 million to the BOE budget.

Bob Sabin

9 Knollwood Drive, Newtown                                           May 12, 2010