Danbury Just Spent $2.5M – Without Your Permission

On June 3, Mayor Mark Boughton, supported and assisted by Council President Joe Cavo (who lives right in our neighborhood), brought before the city’s Common Council five bond projects totaling $2.5 MILLION.   In less than two hours, all five projects passed. 

You had no say in this decision at all.  But you (and I!) will be footing the bill for the borrowing costs.  And this will be on top of this year’s tax increase, and the ones guaranteed to come next year and the next and the next…  Here’s why I’m madder than a stepped-on yellow jacket:

·         Boughton, Cavo, and others deliberately structured these projects into five “packages,” each at about $500,000.  The reason?  By doing so, they conveniently got around ambiguous language in the city’s charter which calls for a public vote on any bond proposal for more than $500,000.  Until this week, you had the opportunity to vote on any bond proposal over $500,000.  But, because of our mayor’s maneuvering, you did not have a voice in the commitment to fund these FIVE projects totaling $2.5 M.  This has no precedence in our city’s history.

·         Since the Common Council’s agenda is never posted on the internet until the day before the actual meeting, you and I had less than 24 hours to hear about this maneuver and voice a protest.  This is a tried-and-true tactic  to keep residents uninformed and discourage input.   

·         You and I also had no details on how this money will be spent.   In fact,  much will be spent on items (computers, police vehicles, etc.) that may not even be serviceable before the bonds come due.    You and I know enough not to take a five-year loan out on a computer.  How come our elected officials don’t ? 

Both Mr. Cavo and Mr. Calandrino, our ward representatives, voted for all five projects.  Neither had one single question regarding any of the proposals.    And neither upheld  our right to have a say in how the city spends OUR money . 

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO:

It’s too late to “take back” the vote on the $2.5M.  But, it’s not too late to speak out and hopefully prevent even more of these votes over the next year.  Take a few minutes to sign and return  -- or send me an email with your comments.  I’ll collect all and present to our representatives.  Please care…

Linda Galloway

(203 790 1591, gallowaylinda@gmail.com, 231 Thaddeus Ave. – my mailbox is at the corner of Thaddeus and Hayes)

To Mayor Boughton, Council President Joe Cavo, and Representative Mike Calandrino:   I disapprove of your recent action to pass five bonded projects without a public referendum.

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(Name, address, and email, please.)