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No Respect

Welcome to Dangerfield, Connecticut. Once known as Clinton, this shoreline town has earned its new moniker in honor of Rodney Dangerfield, who got “no respect.”

The will of the voters was expressed with defeats of the town and education budgets by 6.8- and 4.5-percent margins, respectively. These were decisive defeats. But the Board of Finance responded with trivial and dismissive increased spending reductions. The Clinton Board of Finance disrespected the voters’ clearly expressed will by reducing both budgets by a mere one percent.

While we don’t know for certain what state cuts to municipal aid to Clinton will be, we do know that $989,686 in funds drained from the health insurance surplus this year are no longer available to cushion the tax increase next year.

This revised budget produces a 3.1 percent spending increase, but a tax increase of between 6.2 percent and 9.6 percent. That is an insult to the more than 1,700 voters who voted “No” on May 10.

Any increase in year over year spending given these threatened internal revenue certainties and external revenue uncertainties is irresponsible.

Property taxes fall disproportionately on lower income households and seniors. Those who advocate “Yes” votes are callously indifferent to the struggle of their most vulnerable neighbors.

The next referendum is scheduled for Wednesday, May 24. For voters to make their first “No” vote count, they must come back and vote “No” at least once again.

Clinton must muster enough self-respect to command the deference of Clinton’s elected officials. Otherwise, voting is a sham and democracy is a cruel hoax.

For Rodney Dangerfield disrespect was funny. For Clinton voters, it is tyranny. For poor Clinton taxpayers, it is tragic. I encourage your readers to vote “No” on May 24.

Kirk Carr

Clinton

Kirk Carr serves on the Board of Finance.