rejected by the voters: 2,317 Nays and 1,898 Ayes).
From: virsaint [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 6:54 PM
To: Avon Board of Finance
Cc: Avon Town Council; Avon Board of Education
Subject: 3rd Referendum
Importance: High
Mr Harrison and Members of the Board of Finance:
Regarding the results of the second referendum and the subject of spending levels: - I was pleased to read Mr
Harrison's comment in today's paper: "That to me suggests a very strong sentiment that the voters disapproved of
the spending levels in the revised budget. I think we ignore that sentiment at our peril."
You hit the nail on the head: the voters did not appreciate being ignored. Clearly, the voters have been looking for
change since 2002! Over the past year, a number of residents have made suggestions for change; but, those
suggestions were largely set aside by Town officials. That posture would have been OK if Town officials had
offered viable alternatives that would result in controlled spending. The reality however is that very little has
changed since the first budget defeat in 2002. In my humble opinion, the voters have simply lost confidence in our
Town's ability to adjust to a different operating environment. This perception needs to be taken seriously.
The solution? - Develop strategies and programs for structural change in order to control spending; communicate
what those strategies are; and, by all means, please make sure they are implemented.
In more ways than one, Town leaders need to demonstrate they are responding to the taxpayers' call for paradigm
change.
Continued on Page 2
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