Comments on Jay Lewin, Uncensored: Budget Squeaks By

It is tough to predict that someone will turn into...

2008-06-03T11:40:00.000-04:00

It is tough to predict that someone will turn into a moron once you elect them.

The public doesn't want the truth from our elected official, they want platitudes and generalities and earmarks.

No one wants someone to say, I'm going to run the town like GE.

Which would mean an eye on profit and firing the lowest 10% every year.

On May 21, 2008 8:44 AM, anonymous said:"...so tha...

2008-06-03T06:34:00.000-04:00

On May 21, 2008 8:44 AM, anonymous said:

"...so that people like me aren't forced into a yes vote when I really mean NO..."

Unfortunately, irrational people like this are the norm, not the exception, on Election Day. These voters believe that if they show up at the polling place and cast uninformed votes for candidates and issues they know little or nothing about, they are somehow doing their “civic duty”. Nothing could be further from the truth…

The sheer depth of most individual voters' ignorance is the single greatest threat to our democratic system.

Well, how great is that,the powers at hand decided...

2008-06-02T18:52:00.000-04:00

Well, how great is that,the powers at hand decided to wait till after the budget vote to make known the fact that the current budget is 4 million dollars short???? Typical of our town gov. to hide the oops!!!! Now they are going to want extra money from the undesignated fund, or should I say slush fund for spending beyond the towns means...Like I said before , when are we going to hold our town and education boards responsible for OUR money, and make them accountable for where it is spent. I think its time to hire a town manager to run our town like the business that it is...

You can state that government takes advantage of l...

2008-05-30T07:24:00.000-04:00

You can state that government takes advantage of low voter turnout to pass budgets till the cows come home...

They simply are taking advantage of a situation that was created by those very people who put them in office.

Bottom line remains the same...inaction can result in action.

Most voters simply do not care...a serious copout, and perhaps a danger and liability.

The nonvoters should be ashamed for shunning their civic responsibility.

And by extension, not voting makes them crappy citizens.

Do we really want to hear their voices anyway?

Because a low voter turnout = budget passage. Tha...

2008-05-28T16:11:00.000-04:00

Because a low voter turnout = budget passage.

That way our elected officials don’t have to concern themselves with trivial matters such as prioritizing spending and they can go on pretending that their “bare bones” budget contains no fraud, waste, abuse, inefficiency and/or largess.

I don't agree with the poster who said there was l...

2008-05-28T11:01:00.000-04:00

I don't agree with the poster who said there was little notification of the vote - I even forgot the day before but in driving home I saw a sign that reminded me the budget vote was May 20th. But I do agree that the reverse 911 system is used for issues much more petty than reminding folks to vote. Why not a reverse 911 call to get out the vote?

O.K., So the B.O.E. got there dream once again. In...

2008-05-28T09:39:00.000-04:00

O.K., So the B.O.E. got there dream once again. In my eyes though, the point is not how much they got, or who corrupted who,or who lied to who, it's; what will they do with the money?????????. I challenge the B.O.E. to print in the Spectrum, what exactly they will do with the newly found pot of gold that has been handed to them!!! And how they are going to improve the education of my children? Good Luck....

Makes perfect sense to me (see 2nd to last posting...

2008-05-27T20:18:00.000-04:00

Makes perfect sense to me (see 2nd to last posting).

Pointless nonsense (see posting above)

2008-05-27T10:24:00.000-04:00

Pointless nonsense (see posting above)

“So you lost now you claim fraud. Please…”This naï...

2008-05-27T09:10:00.000-04:00

“So you lost now you claim fraud. Please…”

This naïve poster apparently believes New Milford is the only municipality in the entire world with honest, sincere politicians as pure as the driven snow!

Sensible people know better.

If it’s any conciliation, a collection of cynical essays and comics (yes comics) titled “The Illuminati Papers” made a compelling argument that corrupt politicians are preferable to honest ones.

The essays introduce “Celine's Laws”, three political truths that are as universal as Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. Celine's Third Law states: “An honest politician is a national calamity”.

The proof goes as follows:
While dishonest politicians are interested only in enriching themselves (by abusing the public trust), honest politicians are far more dangerous because they sincerely try to better society through political action (writing and implementing evermore burdensome laws).

Corrupt politicians merely abuse their office to line their own pockets. Honest (idealist) politicians abuse their office by inadvertently chipping away at the people's freedom through onerous legislation.

So, corrupt politicians are preferable to honest ones… Whoda thought?

That’s why I’m so delighted to be a New Milford resident!

You're absolutely right......but they're terribly ...

2008-05-23T21:19:00.000-04:00

You're absolutely right......but they're terribly misinformed if they believe that this budget will result in any improvement in education.....More money will not make the system any better....

If I truly believed that an increased budget would actually improve education for the children, I would wholeheartedly support it.....Unfortunately, most of the cheerleaders on the BOE believe it, and a (very small) majority of the voters have also drank a bit too much of the Kool-Aid.....

Of course, next year, they'll be asking for more, and they'll probably get it again, despite the fact that no actual measurable improvements in education will have occurred.....

so you lost now you claim fraud. Please. "My taxe...

2008-05-23T20:20:00.000-04:00

so you lost now you claim fraud. Please.

"My taxes to the Town will now be $124 a week"
My heart bleeds for you. Small price to pay to allow children decent schools.

We can't validly claim that a majority of the eligible voters want ANY budget passed, much less than what all the residents want.
Umm yes we can. its irrelevant what the others want since they didn't vote.

Just deal with it. This town is not full of yokels anymore. There are families that chose to settle here and want good schools and are willing to fund them. If you don't like it well, hey. thats your right.

Ironically, the "taxes are too high" crowd probabl...

2008-05-23T15:47:00.000-04:00

Ironically, the "taxes are too high" crowd probably did show up to vote. Those who are satisfied with their town and schools are far less motivated to vote, and likely didn't show up.

In small towns like New Milford, the preferred met...

2008-05-23T11:31:00.000-04:00

In small towns like New Milford, the preferred method of rigging elections is for ballot-stuffers to cast votes in the name(s) of people who didn’t show up at the polls. This effective method of election fraud is known as “telegraphing”.
One of the more infamous examples of telegraphing is "Landslide Lyndon" Johnson stealing a few key Texas counties to acquire his U.S. Senate seat in 1948. In one of the precincts “won” by LBJ, over 200 ballots had amazingly been cast in alphabetical order!
Telegraphing is obviously just as effective with the new voting machines in New Milford as it was with traditional ballots in Texas (1948), Chicago (1960), Palm Beach (2000), etc.

In this referendum, the total number of voters was...

2008-05-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

In this referendum, the total number of voters was LESS than the total number of ballots cast (a.k.a. ballot stuffing).

“… the recount fixed discrepancies in the East Street and Northville vote numbers..”

In other words, the number of actual voters was disregarded to allow for the “extra” votes of people who stuffed more than one ballot into the box.

This is just crooked old-fashioned “machine politics” where precinct captains know they need to deliver their precinct at all costs, and do whatever it takes.

The basic truth about politics hasn't changed for millennia; the quest for political power is ruthless and unprincipled.

Mobocracy in action!

Well....the voters have spoken...So there's no poi...

2008-05-23T08:32:00.000-04:00

Well....the voters have spoken...So there's no point in arguing over the decision...

The biggest problem is the apathy shown by the majority of the residents. By not voting, they allowed a very small minority to decide how their money is spent. Ironically, those who didn't vote will be the ones complaining that their taxes are too high.....

I'm sure the BOE is shaking in their collective bo...

2008-05-22T19:59:00.000-04:00

I'm sure the BOE is shaking in their collective boots over next year's budget!

I find the spin interesting between the two factio...

2008-05-22T17:38:00.000-04:00

I find the spin interesting between the two factions on the BOE vote-
one side, yeah our budget was wonderful and it passed by a whole whopping 16 votes! We are right!

The other side, wow the school budget barely passed by 16 votes so the BOE had better start rethinking what they ask for next year.

Obviously from the ADVISORY questions the forceful NO votes should tell the BOE that their budget next year better not be higher so I'm leaning to side two and hope the BOE starts looking at their budget now.....

Good job to the Voters who came out.The Town can m...

2008-05-22T17:20:00.000-04:00

Good job to the Voters who came out.

The Town can move forward without a bloodily battle over a small budget increase. Now they can work to grow the Tax base by attracting new businesses, helping existing business to expand, establishing commuter rail service and reinventing the riverfront as a recreational destination.

As the Route 7 bypass and the new shopping centers get completed this small tax increase will become a temporary inconvenience. New Milford has the brightest future for growth in the entire region.

New Milford is a beautiful community and in the near future it is going to grow into one of the best communities in New England. If the Nay sayers, whiners, and negative people don't like it, then MOVE.

Congratulations to the Voters for coming out and exercising your right to vote.

Thanks for the numbers.Not surprising that the sch...

2008-05-22T15:49:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the numbers.

Not surprising that the school side is more supportative of an increased funding.

The vote on the Town Advisory Question (if the bud...

2008-05-22T14:45:00.000-04:00

The vote on the Town Advisory Question (if the budget is defeated, should the amount be increased?) was 657 yes and 2418 no.

The vote on the School Advisory Question (if the budget is defeated, should the amount be increased?)was 1033 yes and 2046 no.

With the public schools getting $750,000 extra thi...

2008-05-22T13:50:00.000-04:00

With the public schools getting $750,000 extra this year, NMHS should be graduating a lot more geniuses in the coming years…

What was the count on the advisory questions?

2008-05-22T12:25:00.000-04:00

What was the count on the advisory questions?

I was one of the few who did vote, but the amazing...

2008-05-22T10:10:00.000-04:00

I was one of the few who did vote, but the amazing thing here is the apathy about these budgets.

The one side screams how the middle class is being squeezed out of town.

The other side laments how the schools are being ruined by 'cutting' the budgets.

Both side are hysterical in over stating their case.

The schools are pretty good and would not crumble if the budget was reduced a little.

If the middle class is being squeezed, then where are they when they have a chance to save themselves by voting down the budget?

Neither sides argument ring true.

The sad truth is the overwhelming majority of the people in New Milford just do not care enough to vote, and that is a bigger problem than the budget itself.

Great observations, Shelly. The local Republicans...

2008-05-21T21:57:00.000-04:00

Great observations, Shelly. The local Republicans have a skewed sense of what "the people" want from their schools and town. Most of our facilities are second rate compared to other towns, and NM residents want better.

It's time for the old timers with the skewed perceptions to get out of government. Szendy, O'Brien, Lillis, and Guendelsberger need to head out to pasture...