To Residents of Hebron:
Last year, Hebron taxpayers reluctantly agreed to an approximate 4.5% tax increase because the Board of Finance made a convincing argument in May 2011 that our community “does not have a spending problem; we have a revenue problem.”
In July 2011, the new Governor and Democratic-controlled Connecticut legislature passed a series of new tax increases, including a state payroll tax retroactive to January 1, 2011, double-dipping our paychecks for the last six months to make up the retroactive tax difference.
This year, Hebron appears to have a spending problem. We may still have a revenue problem, that has yet to be revealed, but at a minimum, with the Board of Education’s addition of all day kindergarten and their almost 2% increase in budget, despite significant decline in student enrollment in the past six years, doesn’t anyone hear the toll of warning bells?
All day kindergarten is not mandated by the State of Connecticut. I remember hearing the same threats of “it’s coming any day now” way back in 2006 when I was a BOF member.
It’s great in Gold Coast towns where you say to your neighbors, “OK, you’re rich; I’m rich; let’s fulfill all the pipe dreams ‘cuz we’re swimming in dough.”
But this is Hebron. The vast majority of us are NOT swimming in dough; we’re drowning in debt.
With a $700K debt reduction from the sewer project (that mortgage is finally paid and over), and a decline in elementary student population (FY 2006-07 was 1,226 students and projected enrollment for FY 2012-13 is 958 students, a net loss of 268 students), I personally won’t support any tax increase this year.
I will support a tax decrease.
It appears we have a spending problem in our already cash-strapped community. And guess why? Nothing will change until you VOTE.