May 6, 2010
Census is Underway
As mandated by the Constitution, the country is now in the process of counting every single one of our citizens. Here in Colchester, forms have already been mailed out to every household in order to see how many people are living in each residence. Filling out and returning this form is our responsibility as citizens to ensure we have an accurate count.
The numbers gathered in the Census will be used for several things. First, the distribution and location of our population determines how much representation we get in legislative bodies and what districts are in place to support this. Additionally, many programs and funding levels are determined by the number of people residing in your town. Having an inaccurate count could lead to lower funding levels from the state and federal government.
As of last week, Colchester had an 80% participation rate which is very good. However, we still have a lot of people yet to be counted. If you have not yet returned your form, please do so as soon as possible. If you have not received a form or need a new one, please contact the Census assistance line at (866) 872-6868.
Town Meeting Tuesday
On Tuesday, the annual town meeting will be held to vote on sending the proposed budget to referendum. The meeting will be held at 7PM in town hall and will be another opportunity for citizens to take part in the budget process.
As the boards have constructed the budget this year, we have done everything possible to preserve town and school services given the current economic climate. We have already made reductions in the workforce. The vast majority of employees have had their wages frozen or given some other form of concession. Even after all of these cuts, the budget proposal still calls for a tax increase to make up for the lack of economic growth and increasing costs.
As we continue with the budget process, I would stress to every voter the importance of having all the facts. Many things get thrown around in town and in the newspaper that may not be completely accurate. The six members of the Board of Finance, five members of the Board of Selectmen, and seven members of the Board of Education in conjunction with the various department heads and managers all watch very closely where we spend your tax dollars.
If you hear or see something which doesn’t make sense, please reach out to me or any other board member. There are reasons behind every decision we make and we have no issue explaining them to everyone. Our goal is very simple, to give you all the information we can as you make your decision on the future of Colchester.
- Gregg Schuster
First Selectman
Previous Selectman Notes can be viewed at
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