Friendly smiles and chatting turned to shock and dismay as once again, the budget did not make it past the voters.
As the numbers were read, some wondered if it was the rain or a possible accident on I84 that had kept voters away.
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First Selectman Patricia Llodra said yesterday that this was the first time that the Board of Selectmen, the Legislative Council and the Board of Finance all agreed that the budget was fair. In an interview on Monday, Llodra said, "I believe the town of Newtown has a very strong commitment to education. We are a sophisticated and smart population, but with this budget season I developed some worries. We need to work together to get through this tough malaise."
As the count was read, faces fell when it was clear that the nayes had it, with the total counts:
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Yes: 1,946
No: 2,023
Total votes, including absentee: 3,970
Llodra said that a Town Meeting would be bypassed and another referendum would be held in three weeks. She said, "The voters have spoken, there is more to be done. Back to council."
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