To The Editor:
Party politics in Vernon has just taken a turn for the worse - if that is possible.
If you have been following the budget process, you know that this year has been incredibly difficult for our mayor, the council. and our board of education.
Income and assistance from the State has been reduced by almost one million dollars (Hartford is clearly trying to balance the State's budget on the backs of town taxpayers). George Apel and our Republican council have worked hard to approve a budget that will maintain our essential services - with the only significant increases being allocated to the Board of Education side of the budget.
The results of the survey taken after the last vote show that any attempt to increase the budget will fail (in the 40 years that our charter has allowed referendum voting on the budget, no defeated budget has ever been increased).
By its action, the Democrat Town committee has now made the budget a political campaign issue. If this budget fails, the council will have no option but to make further cuts - and start eliminating services and laying off personnel.
By its vote, the Democrat Town Committee is placing its short-term political agenda ahead of the interests of the citizens of Vernon. I urge all of you to not only vote yes, tomorrow, but also to call your neighbors and friends and urge them to vote yes too.
Harold "Hal" Cummings
Chairman
Vernon Republican Town Committee
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
