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An Awakening

Connecticut is an expensive place to live. Old Saybrook is not an exception. Most of us older citizens use coupons, look for sales, and ask for senior discounts when buying food and other necessities. People living on Social Security didn’t get a raise. Why don’t the proposed budgets for the town and schools reflect this harsh reality?

Each year the budgets sent to the members of the Board of Finance increase. This year the Board of Education is asking for an increase of 2.8 percent. The municipal budget request is a little more reasonable.

When are we taxpayers going to express our concerns? Every year a handful of voters (400-plus) turn out for the budget hearings and the referendum vote. Literally thousands of us went to the polls to express an opinion about a police boat! Is the multi-million-dollar budget less important? I don’t think so.

The Grand List is down. Budget proposals are up. The mil rate must go higher. Therefore, we taxpayers must produce the requested increases by digging deeper into our wallets.

Voters elected the members of the Board of Finance to watch out for our needs. They need to hear from us, especially if we are unhappy with yet another year of budgets pushing for tax increases.

This year there is an awakening among the 99 percent. Old Saybrook voters have the obligation to express their concerns about spending and calls for action to reduce the tax burden. I encourage your readers to join me at the Board of Finance Special Meetings on Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m. to do just that.

Henry Conti

Old Saybrook