Community Corner

Voters Making Their Voices Heard On Tuesday


Tuesday was a day for local voices as Vernon residents and taxpayers headed to the polls for a third vote in the 2013-14 fiscal year budget season.

The day began early as education proponents stood outside schools asking people not to necessarily vote a certain way but to just cast a ballot. The first two referendums rejected the budget with turnouts of 10 percent.

The Vernon Youth Soccer Association acted similarly in an e-mail blast.

Town Council Democrats certainly took a position. Mayoral candidate Thomas DiDio said a yes vote is "vital" as an "investment in our youth" in an e-mail letter and council member Michael Winkler stood outside Center 375 - the lone polling place - with a sign saying a yes vote was a vote for education.

At 11:02 the town's instantaneous electronic reporting system had recorded 657 of the 15,808 eligible voters. That is two hours ahead of the pace two weeks ago for Referendum 2.

None of the seniors approached would agree to a video but there seemed to be higher numbers this time. As Republican council member Bill Campbell said, "We have not seen the seniors yet."

Republican council member John Kopec said as he walked in he hoped for a large turnout. Voting goes until 8 p.m.

• The budget proposal now stands at $82,799,460. 

• That is an increase of $2,200,300 from the current fiscal year. 

• It represents a tax increase of 5.59 percent, or 1.88 mills more, for a tax rate of 35.51 mills. 

• The latest proposal calls for $50,494,787 to go to education. Mayor George Apel had reduced $1.5 million from the original Board of Education Request. The Town Council then took another $675,000 out, but then put $1 million back in to arrive at that number.  


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