From:
Susan Kniep, President
The Federation of
Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Website: ctact.org
860-528-0323
October 27, 2003
WELCOME
TO THE FOURTEENTH EDITION OF
TAX TALK
Your weekly update on what
others are thinking, doing, and planning
Send your comments or questions to me, and
I will include in next week's publication.
Susan Kniep, Katzrus50e@aol.com
East Hartford Taxpayers Assoc.
Subject: 2003 EH Mayor's Race
October 5, 2003
She'ssssssss back............ Wow, just came off the campaign
trail. The Republicans refused to put anyone up against the incumbent
Democrat Mayor. He therefore had no opposition, so
naturally, I threw my hat into the ring as a petitioning candidate. I
didn't win - but at least he didn't walk away with a mandate - in fact, I
surprised myself. All grassroots - lots of door to door - had
little money compared to my opponent but would recommend for those wishing to
lose weight - better than the Jenny Craig diet. Got lots of folks
interested in FCTO. My campaign manager was the former Republican Town
Chairman, Joe Kronan. He and his wife, who was my treasurer, are
two dynamic people who made the campaign interesting and fun. They also
participate in FCTO events and are concerned taxpayers.
Some great news follows from John Durand in Tolland and Bob Green in
Salem. Also, thanks to Peter Arcidiacono for his contribution (read
below). Let me know what has been happening in your area and I will
publish in next TAX TALK. Sue
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John Durand, JohnD@leed-himmel.com
Tolland Taxpayers Assoc.
Subject: Tolland Charter Revision...BUDGET REFERENDUM
October 5, 2003
Susan, Congratulations on the good showing in the E.H. race. It
would have been nice to have a win, however, I think a message was sent.
I also want to pass along the good news that Tolland voters have approved the
Charter Revision as proposed, except for reduction in the size of the
B.O.E..This means we now have a mandatory Budget Referendum in Tolland.
Other important changes were incorporated which mandate more information be
released on bonding issues such as estimated costs beyond construction like
operating an staffing if a building project. Voters also approved a $2MM
open space referendum. On the down side we lost two council seats to
pro-spenders. All in all a good day however. Regards, John
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Robert Green, green_robert@hotmail.com
Salem Taxpayers Assoc.
Subject: Election 2003 - Salem Board of Ed
October 5, 2003
Good morning, Sue. Thought you might like to know that I was elected to
another six-year term on the Salem's Board of Education last night, even after
I raised the binding arbitration issue in a debate two days before the
election. I think I'm beginning to make headway with the public at large
with the "No Child Left Behind" issue as well. People are
starting to see it for what is: submission to voluntary servitude (on the
part of the State) to the Washington bureaucrats whose intent is to set up
EVERY school district nationwide for failure, so THEY can federalize the school
systems and control our children's future at our (the local level) expense.
I seem to recall a similar 70-year experiment that included federally
controlled school systems. In 1989, it was deemed a dismal failure when
the Iron Curtain fell. I'll be raising the NCLB issue with the
State Board of Education during the CABE conference this week. Have a
nice day.
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Peter Arcidiacono, PJArcidiacono@aol.com
Common Sense-East Hampton
Subject: Great Quote
October 13, 2003
At about the time our original 13 states adopted their new constitution in
1787, a Scottish history professor by the name of Professor Alexander Tyler had
this to say about "The Fall of the Athenian Republic" over 2,000
years previous to that date."A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form
of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote
themselves largesse (generous gifts) from the public treasury. From that moment
on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits
from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses
over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship."
"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been two
hundred years. These nations have progressed through this sequence. From
bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage
to liberty; from liberty to abundance, from abundance to complacency; from
complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, from dependence back into
bondage."
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