Letter: In Support of Rich Townsend for New Canaan Town Council

Five percent.

Almost any organization has at least 5 percent of its budget it can cut. In fact, it can usually do an even better job with the remaining leaner organization. That is one of the many reasons why I support Rich Townsend for New Canaan Town Council. He is focused on protecting our property values through fiscal discipline, including a 5 percent spending cut as a baseline for government spending. While politicians typically debate whether we should hike taxes and spending by a little or by a lot, Townsend wants to do more with less.

After graduating from Stanford, Rich built a career around making tough budget choices. He knows how to prioritize so that we focus on what is important and he knows how to cut costs in less critical areas. No one would be more careful with taxpayer money. No one is more focused on making our town as attractive as possible for homeowners and taxpayers. His goal is not cost cutting for the sake of cost cutting; instead, his ultimate goal is to have a town that thrives. To that end, we need to keep pressure to ensure our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and on our top priorities such as strong schools and commuter convenience.

I endorse Rich Townsend. He has been a New Canaan taxpayer, homeowner, business owner, and community leader for many years. He knows what needs to be done to prioritize and economize to protect our taxpayers, homeowners and local businesses.

Jim Wartinbee

New Canaan