Thank You for Voting on the Budget

I was pleased to join with so many of you at the polls on Saturday, June 1 to register our view of the proposed Winchester budget for next year. Actually, I was thrilled that so many of you took the time out of your busy schedules to get to the polls or file an absentee ballot. Your actions validate the hard work done over many years by many fellow citizens to get our town charter changed to allow a referendum to follow the annual town budget meeting.

Make no mistake about the importance of this accomplishment. There are many who succeeded for a long time in blocking the effort, and they will now do all they can to undermine and finally to negate this step forward. The mandatory referendum broadens the possibility for participation of the town's citizens in the operation of their government.

The key to the success of this whole effort is participation by the people. Participation in this case is a two-step process. We have done a fine job in Step 1, the referendum. The next test, Step 2, is our attendance at the upcoming town meeting.

Since the people rejected the proposed budget at the referendum, the ball is in the selectmen's court. They have the power to change the budget, and will present it to the town meeting on Thursday, June 27. At that time the ball will again be in the people's court. All of us present will have the opportunity to reduce the proposed increases or pass the budget on as it stands. This is "crunch" time.

The groups that will gain from an increased budget include the school people (both Gilbert and town systems), the town employees, and the public safety complex advocates, along with their families and supporters.

The appeal will go out to the parents of students to attend and pass the budget, "for the kids." This is a moving, emotional cry, and one I would favor if the school people would actually honor the objective. Show us how much of the budget increases have gone and will go to improving pupil programs and teaching/ learning results. Show us by objective measures and results, such as CT Mastery Tests and SAT scores, how increased wages and benefits to the school staffs have improved these results over the last ten years, for example. Compare and contrast these results with our neighbors, Regional #7 or Torrington.

Money spent on the schools has been: $14,726,567 in 1999/2000; $14,811,130 in 2000/01; and $16,045,175 in 2001/02. (The initial proposal for 2002/03 was $16,999,421.) So, where's the beef that should show up at these prices?

Please join me at Gilbert School on Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. to hear the proposals, the supporting arguments, and to vote for the budget we think is fair.