What does not work - Charter Review Committee

I strongly disagree with the comments made by Selectman Steve Karl and the biased reporting in the January 29, 2026 Editorial “What Works.” Yes, our town is blessed, not because of autocratic government, self-interest, and self-dealing, but because of the residents and their civic contributions. As Selectman Karl requested: “Let those who seek revision provide evidence of failure. In the absence of that, stewardship requires restraint." I present my well-founded evidence for why the Charter Revision Committee must implement change for the benefit of the voters.

Firstly, thank you for the history lesson. Yes, the Town Charter was adopted in 1935, and the Town’s annual budget in 1916 was $22,600. In stark contrast for the fiscal year 2026-2027, the Town of New Canaan approved a total expenditure budget of $186.9 million, including schools and town operations. In 1930, the population of New Canaan was 5,456 people. Today, the population is likely 21,300 residents. What worked in the 1930s does not work in the 21st century. The proposed changes to our charter, made by concerned citizens, are not novel; they are necessary. The recommended changes are essential to address the issues faced by a growing municipality.

It is a deceptive claim to say that “of the 169 towns in Connecticut the overwhelming majority would exchange their charter for New Canaan’s without hesitation,” as Karl states. Why then do most of these towns elect their Board of Finance, Planning and Zoning Commission, oversee Public Works procurement, and even vote on their school budgets? Because progress and change lead to Best Practices. The electorate wants to be heard, have a voice in decision-making, not be told by an autocratic government that appoints the members of boards and committees, which members rarely question their policies.

Mr. Karl highlights the creation of the Audit Committee, which Audit Committee I played a key role in establishing in 2014, along with the establishment of the Board of Ethics. Both are appointed by the Board of Selectmen. Although they should appear and operate independently, they do not. They report directly to the Board of Selectmen, not the public. They are appointed by, confirmed and report to the same body they are supposed to review and regulate, and their appointments are confirmed by that same body. This creates conflicts of interest, lacks required internal controls, segregation of duties, and independence, and allows the Board of Selectmen to override controls. Essentially, Selectman Karl is calling those citizens who oppose autocratic government, lack of transparency, and advocate for best practices, rebels. Selectman Karl has stated on occasion: “he does not consider you a New Canaanite until you have lived in town for 30 years.

Now for some evidence:

• ●New Canaan has the largest bonded indebtedness per capita of the 169 towns in Connecticut. This artificially defers tax increases to your heirs.
• Our property taxes have gone up geometrically (increased at an accelerated rate). The BOS has told us the mill rate has fallen. Only one part of the equation. Total lack of transparency. The mill rate has fallen because our property's assessed value has risen astronomically. That has resulted in a high rate of increase in local property taxes. Just look at your tax bill.
• The appointed Board of Finance has never questioned or materially adjusted the proposed budget of the Board of Education or the approved Board of Selectmen budget, who appoint the Board of Finance. Why?
• The Board of Selectmen recently leased a Town-owned property to Cinema Lab at $14 a square foot, well below the fair market rate of $70 a square foot, without informing the public. The appointed Board of Finance never questioned this expense to taxpayers. Cinema Lab defaulted and never paid rent. The First Selectman forgave the default of approximately $ 340,000 without transparency. The cost of the renovation overruns for the Playhouse property exceeded approximately $4,000,000 which cost overruns were never restricted by the appointed Board of Finance. Why?
• There is no oversight of spending, cost overruns, and non-competitive bidding on contracts awarded by the Department of Public Works. The BOS simply rubber-stamps cost overruns. For example, for nine years the Town of New Canaan has spent $31,237,151 more on health insurance then the Town of Darien. The Town of Darien has more residents and town employees.
• The appointed Planning and Zoning Commission continues to override existing regulations with impunity (no accountability) to the electorate. One example is permitting a 200-car above-ground parking structure in the 4-acre residential zone. There is absolutely no responsibility for the safety of neighborhood children and residents.
• The Town’s Audit Committee Chair has just resigned, citing interference by the Board of Selectmen and the appointed CFO in an attempt to override internal control and procurement deficiencies in our government’s operations, as reported by the Internal Control Study conducted by an independent CPA firm. The BOS has prevented the report from being released to the Town Council as required. The Audit Committee Chair, a highly respected retired senior partner in a Big 4 accounting firm, expressed concern for his professional reputation and has resigned. This lack of internal control in procurement and self-dealing by our appointed bodies could cost the town its A+ bond rating and be costly to taxpayers.

Selectman Karl’s letter to the editor and comments to the “appointed” Charter Review Commission exemplify our Executive Branch’s attempt to influence the independence of the Charter Review Commission.

The current structure of appointed Boards and Committees has permitted unchecked self-dealing and non-competitive awarding of contracts that are costly to taxpayers. Members of our government vote on budgets, procurements, and most importantly, appointments to Boards and Commissions in which they have a direct conflict of interest.

Yes! The examples mentioned are just a few of the failures of our 1935 Town Charter. The Charter is outdated, broken, and in need of revision. The other 169 towns in Connecticut have responded to changes brought on by growth, increased spending, and the need for transparency and responsiveness to the people, unlike an autocratic government.

Those New Canaan residents who seek revision to the Town Charter have offered overwhelming evidence of failure. Stewardship demands change!

Fellow citizens, make your voices heard. Please visit the Town website at: https://www.newcanaan.info/government/commissions/charter_revision.php and complete the questionnaire provided by the Charter Review Commission. Don’t let self-appointed individuals override or influence what should be an independent Charter Review process.

Demand best practices for the future of your children, family, and the welfare of our town.

Roy A. Abramowitz, CPA