On Thursday, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) unanimously approved a $103 million request, for the new Long Lots Elementary School project.
Toni Simonetti says the actual cost is $129 million.
She thinks it should cost $90 million. Now she’s gathering signatures on a petition for a referendum, to decrease the appropriation to that sum.
It’s no easy task. She needs 1,860 signatures — 10% of the town’s registered voters — by June 26.
Simonetti — a longtime Westport Community Gardens member, and vocal opponent of replacing the gardens with an athletic field — does not oppose the new school.
In fact, she says, she wants a new building to replace the current “rotting, moldy, unhealthy and shabby” one,
However, she says, $129 million is too much. Her figure is based on the $103 million appropriation; $6.7 million previous allocated, and $20 million in debt service interest.
She says that will result in a 4% tax increase, beginning next year. That would translate, she says, to $1,200 more per year for a $2.1 million home, the Westport average. Personal property and motor vehicle taxes will rise 4% too.
Simonetti posted those figures, and more — including her issues with the RTM process — on Substack.
Artist’s rendering of the proposed Long Lots courtyard.