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The Same Old Budget Story
By Judy Pavlak, Winsted
The yearly, same old charter revision hearing time has arrived in the Town of Winchester. The same public and, worst of all, basically the same old selectmen with their "yes sir" charter revision committee are still here.
Last year the selectmen said they wanted to resolve the charter problem once and for all (in their favor, of course). Let's have another charter revision committee, they said. The majority of the people rose up and said "Great!" They voted to have a town meeting that could reduce budget items and then have a final vote by referendum, giving every voter the opportunity to have their say. The people thought the budget problem was over. The power rested in their hands to decide what they wanted to spend and where the money should be put.
Frankly, the average taxpayer has little trust in the selectmen's ability to spend their money properly. They remembered a few of the selectmen's past "bargains." There were the Elm Street house and Lambert Kay deals for a buck, which lost the town tax revenue and opened the door for spending millions. Now, with the state and nation struggling with a depressed economy and with even higher taxes as a result of the revaluation facing the people, the people want their say.
Surprise, surprise! Our august selectmen are back just like kids saying if they don't get their way to have complete control of the budget, they won't play. The selectmen don't get it. It's the people's money and our town and our vote that these seven people want to control by taking away the people's right to cut the proposed budget.
Okay, people, let's show the selectmen and their supporters that we can vote them and their undemocratic ideas out in November.
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