To the Editor:
To the Editor:
It was not a surprise to read the weekâs front-page article, âNewtown Real Estate Prices Continue to Drop While Inventory Swellsâ [The Newtown Bee, September 21].
When someone contemplates moving into a community, they evaluate a variety of criteria. Among the top are location, community services, schools, recreational facilities, and taxes. Everyone wants to know what the return on investment is for his or her tax dollar.
It would be interesting to see an analysis of why real estate prices are depressed and why inventory of homes has soared recently.
While I understand that subprime mortgage situation is a major factor, what other factors could be influencing peopleâs decision to sell their home or to purchase a home in Newtown?
Could it be that:
Our Blue Ribbon high school is now on warning status from the NEASC organization due to overcrowding and lack of adequate resources?
We have recreational facilities that are overstretched? We lack appropriate number of athletic fields and we have only one town pool for a population of approximately 27,000?
Our taxes continue to escalate as we fund multiple band-aid solutions with weak strategies to address the million dollars worth of capital improvements required to fix our schools and town facilities?
The town leaders are choosing to build a new town hall instead of addressing our school and recreational infrastructures? How much will it cost the taxpayers to fully redevelop FFH? How long will it take?
The potential homebuyers oppose year-round schooling, which has been publicly examined in detail in our newspaper? Is it worth investing $100,000 to study this issue when this money could be used to alleviate significant overcrowding on school buses because a two-year request for additional buses has been ignored due to multiple defeated referenda?
Newtown is a wonderful community and there is hope that a leadership change will be the breath of fresh air needed to put Newtown back on the list of communities perceived to be desirable places to live.
Quality of education is a key factor in how people view a community, and that is why I am running as a candidate for the Board of Education with the Independent Party of Newtown. I will work diligently to ensure that we strive to improve the quality of education to adequately prepare our students with the skills necessary to be successful when entering the competitive global market. I believe in strategic long-term planning for the school system in collaboration with other boards to ensure that the needs of the community and the schools can be fulfilled in the most cost-effective manner. I also believe in working harder to advocate a greater share of state spending on education.
The candidates of the Independent Party of Newtown are prepared to move forward with creative strategies to address the needs of our community. I believe Joe Borst and Paul Mangiafico, the Republican candidates for First Selectman and Selectman, also share our vision. I will be voting for Joe and Paul on Election Day.
Donna Monteleone Randle
Board of Education Candidate
Independent Party of Newtown
Erin Lane, Sandy Hook                             September 25, 2007