State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

As Suburbs Shift, Funding Fights Loom

Stateline: Rudy Magnan was shocked when he learned, a few years ago, that he’d have to pay $2,000 more in property taxes for his two-bedroom condo in an adults-only community in Newtown, Connecticut.

So Magnan and other retirees got together to protest the tax hike — and what they argued was too much spending on schools and not enough for senior services.

“It was a senior revolt. People were really pissed,” said Magnan, the 74-year-old co-founder of the Newtown League of Senior Voters. “Ten years ago, we had over 5,000 students. Now we have 4,000-something and the school budget has gone up by $10 million. When it comes to supporting seniors, we get nothing. Our senior center is a dump.”

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