To the editor,
In response to Jan’s letter on July 24 of why there was a low turnout at the referendum: 1) I stayed home to vote yes. This is the way it’s set up. Only no voters need to show up. 2) No signs posted around town to remind voters and most people don’t read newspapers. 3) Only voting at the train station, would be very overcrowded if yes voters showed up. 4) The majority of voters just don’t care, until the tax bill arrives in the mail.
I attended both budget public meetings at City Hill Middle School, but didn’t speak, just listened. Went home and read the budget; agreed with it to vote yes, because I’m informed. I believe most no voters just vote no to any tax increases without a clue what the increases are for.
The main reason budget increases are needed is because of unfunded or underfunded mandates by both the federal and state governments. Such as our schools are only funded 43 percent when compared to other Democrat-run cities that get up to 80 percent. The upgrades required for our sewer treatment plant, and so many more.
It saddened me to have read your thoughts about, “Those who vote get to keep their taxes the same.” It’s a really silly thought. The same as others that say, “I don’t have children in school, so I shouldn’t pay for it, or I don’t use the parks and playgrounds, so why should I pay.”
Your quote, “Those who don’t vote get to take responsibility for tax raises because obviously they don’t care about the borough, their kids’ future or anything else except sitting on their couches.” You were fine to say those that don’t vote get to take responsibility for any tax increase, but you are wrong about the rest of that statement.
I care to pay more money this year because I was informed and choose to vote yes to the budget.
Oh by the way, I don’t own a couch. I’m to busy attending town meetings and meeting with our state representatives and writing letters to state officials because I care about the borough, our kids’ future and everything else.
Thank you and other no voters for your efforts to cut local taxes. You saved me an increase of about $20.73 for the year. To bad our governor laughed at your effort to cut local taxes as he signed a tax bill to increase your taxes higher than our local tax increase.
Steven Sharik
Naugatuck
JD06403–I’m so sorry you read that incorrectly. I did not attack jmizeski, but rather agreed with this person. If you can read, my comment was directed to Mr. Sharik and no one else. Please read the words so you are informed.
#janlar1 – disappointed that you chose to attack #jmizeski who wanted to express an opinion, so do not take this as an attack against the misinformation you are expressing – but for the record to receive the Citizen’s News one must opt-in to receive it. It is not just mailed to every household by default.
Mr. Sharik–If not enough signs are posted around town, yes that is a fault, but all residents get the Citizen News. The is a very good publication that posts the meeting dates and where they are held. So, I guess what I’m saying here is that people don’t read in this borough either? And if you are informed, you would know what you said is pure ‘hogwash’. Also, if you are ‘to busy’, you are grammatically incorrect. You really are (which I doubt) too busy. Too is the correct word. So, I’m guessing you are NOT as informed about life and the use of the English language as you say. As far as Mr. Malloy, this was not intented towards him but the hundreds of people AGAIN who don’t care about their borough.
I stayed home to vote yes, that is the way it’s set up. This is not true and is a lie. This causes the rest of your letter to be suspect as perhaps a propaganda tool. If you don’t show up to vote in the referendum you didn’t vote. If anyone thinks otherwise they are misguided at best. Should anyone tell you not to vote or that by not showing up you voted perhaps they should be reported to the FBI. Or maybe they need to visit North Korea.