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Making a Joke of the Process

The people have spoken, but no one is listening in the town government! On May 9, both the town and school budgets in Clinton were defeated by resounding margins. In response, the powers that be have deigned to make only a one-half of one percent cut in the budget. Who are they kidding? Themselves, perhaps? In fact, they are making a joke of the entire budgetary process in our town.

Here is a simple fact: Enrollment in the Clinton public school system is declining and will continue to decline for years to come. We cannot sustain continuing increases in the school budget. Here is another simple fact: The sum of total taxable property in Clinton is not increasing. We cannot sustain continuing increases in the town budget or in the school budget. We are talking about real money here, not imaginary Monopoly money. All of the dollars appropriated will have to be paid, and will have to be paid by we the taxpayers.

The majority of voters who rejected the town and school budgets are people who are reasonably concerned about the financial status of our town and restoring balance to the planning process in our town. We are tired and angry at being stereotyped as troglodytes who oppose the education of our town’s children and/or anti-tax extremists. I personally am a member of the Green Party and believe in public support of education and a strong public sector. I know, however, that sustainability and durability must be built into all of our collective endeavors. The current budgetary process fails to meet these criteria. I will vote against the budgets repeatedly until some element of responsibility is restored to financial planning at the levels of both the town and the school.

James Connolly

Clinton