To the Editor:

It is still surprising to me that many people do not understand that most new homes cost the town more than they provide in tax revenue.

Question: if new homes provide a tax benefit to our town, why haven’t our taxes decreased or been stabilized? Over 400 homes have been built in Killingworth over the past 20 years. If new homes reduce taxes, WHY HAVE OUR TAXES DOUBLED?

There is no example of any town in CT where taxes have been reduced or stabilized by new home developments.

The fact is that most new homes in developments add to education costs which represent 78% of our tax dollars. One student in public school costs the town $9460. How many homes pay $9460 in taxes? And $9460 is only the cost of education for one child. An additional 22% of taxes collected by the town are needed for town government (road maintenance, town employees, insurance, etc).

If a home has more than one school age child, the cost to the town is significantly greater (1.35 school age children is the average, based on most studies, which would cost the town $12,771 for education expenses alone, plus the cost of town government).

I have always supported school budgets for our children and the children of our friends and neighbors. But I do not encourage bringing additional children into our town to add to our tax burden.

Tom Lentz, Chairman of our Planning & Zoning Commission, wrote an article published in KillingworthToday.com and the Clinton Recorder, which described a subdivision in Woodbridge, CT, built 40 years ago where the 55 lot subdivision cost the town 25 million dollars more than it would have cost the town to purchase the land as Open Space.

85 studies have shown that the acquisition of open space costs communities less than residential development.

The Wettish Property could become a 28 parcel subdivision. Or the most desirable Open Space our town could ever purchase.

The fact is that it would cost us less to purchase the Wettish Property than to let it become a subdivision.

Please vote Wednesday, February 15th.

Thank you,

Bruce Dodson