Naugatuck Officials Explain Why They Did Not Vote Tuesday

Naugatuck Patch attempted to call everyone from the Board of Finance, Board of Education and Board of Mayor and Burgesses, as well as other top elected officials, who did not vote in Tuesday's budget referendum. We left messages with those who didn’t answer and these are all of the responses were received.

Tell us in the comments section whether you agree or disagree with their viewpoints.

Diane Scinto, Board of Finance chairwoman

I don’t believe in the budget referendum process. I believe people had ample opportunity to attend workshops and the public hearings, which they can participate in. And then they just suddenly come out and vote on something they are not well aware of because someone said come out and vote on the budget to lower their taxes. How informed is that?

People at the public hearing didn’t talk about lowering the budget: they talked about giving more money to the library.

They way I look at it is 86 to 90 percent of people in Naugatuck felt that the budget was OK; if they didn’t, they would have come out and voted against it in higher numbers.

What upsets me is the fact that Alec Wargo (Taxpayers in Revolt chairman) was out pushing for a referendum, but what did he speak about at the budget hearing? He, too, wanted more money for the library, which we gave, and then he wanted a full printed copy of the education budget. I still don’t know what reason he had for pushing the referendum because he never discussed that.

People said that the budget should be flat, so does that mean they wanted to mill rate to go down to 33 mills? That means cutting 10-15 million dollars out the budget. And not one person discussed how we could do that. Some said they don’t like unions, but the contract is the contract and there is nothing we could do about that.

Dave Heller, Board of Education Chairman

I did not vote because I supported the budget, and my decision not to vote was in effect in support of the budget. These budgets have been worked on long and hard by dedicated public servants and volunteers who care deeply for their community. That’s why we elect and appoint these people – to make decisions for the future of the town.

We presented the most fiscally responsible budget we could with a relatively small increase.

Generally, people don’t come out and vote for a tax increase. So if they can express support for the budget by not voting, then that is clearly what many of them choose to do. 

We have a budget that will allow us to meet our objectives and goals, and the Board of Education is very excited to get working. We will continue to be fiscally conservative and try to save every dollar for the taxpayers of Naugatuck, and do what is right for Naugatuck and its students.

Burgess Pat Scully

He said this is the first time he has not voted. He deliberately stayed home to keep the numbers down. He said he believes in the budget and the people who were elected to oversee the budget process.

Board of Education Member Jim Jordan

He said he was out of state and didn’t think to get an absentee ballot. However, he said he is not sure he would have voted because he too believes in the process that is set up to determine the borough’s budget and the people who make those decisions. 

Board of Education Member Rocky Vitale

He said he was out of town for work and didn’t get home until after 8 p.m. (he expected to be home before that). He said he would have voted. “Maybe because of the results, our town fathers should look at this” 15 percent threshold for the results to count, he said.

Board of Finance Alternate Wayne McAllister

He said he was out of town for work and didn’t get home until after 8 p.m. (he thought he would be home before that).

Tax Collector Jim Goggin

“I’ve never been a fan of government by referendum. I think people get elected every two years” to make decisions. “I think these officials work very, very hard; they are all honest and diligent. They differ on different things; they don’t all agree but they are working hard to come to a budget, and I think they come to an honest, good budget for Naugatuck. And that is why I didn’t vote.”