Letter to the Editor: 05.16.2024

05.16.24

This year we had another disappointing budget process.  There was lost money, found money, revenues that could not be reported, etc.  And we topped it off with the laziness of the Republican majority Town Council.

All departments and the Board of Education presented their budgets to the Council.  Rather than review these budgets and make careful considerations of what should be done, the Republican majority Council announced a random budget reduction of $800,000 for the Town and $800,000 for the BOE.  There was no explanation or rationale given, no careful consideration of where budget cuts should be made.

This was followed by the laziness of the Town Manager.  To reach his $800,000 cut, he went for big ticket items.  He cut $500,000 from the police department budget for overdue facility repairs that could cost the taxpayers more in the long run.  He also cut $100,000 from Public Works.  Not much effort or thought was required.

One resident provided the Council with a breakdown of more than $700,000 in budget cuts that could be made throughout all town departments with minimal impact.  Those suggestions were ignored.  How shameful that a resident put more thought into how to reduce the budget than our Town Council or Town Manager.

We now have to vote on this mess on Tuesday, May 21.

The taxpayers deserve more effort from the Council and Town Manager.  With the departure of the Finance and Assistant Finance Directors, perhaps it is also time for a change of Town Manager to get us moving in a more fiscally responsible direction.

Katherine Camara

Katherine Camara, 31 Cottage Place, Oakville, CT 06779203-592-2043