The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper. We welcome supporting or opposing views on any published item. Received October 24, 2025.
To the Voters of Haddam, Higganum and Haddam Neck:
My name is Scott Bowden and I have been on the Board of Finance (“BoF”) since April 2024. I’ve lived in Haddam since April 2005 and retired last year after nearly 43 years in mortgage banking. I bring more than four decades of financial expertise, which serves me well on the BoF.
In terms of the BoF budget, each line item needs to be reviewed carefully since taxpayers are “footing the bill” for each line item. All line items exceeding the inflation rate, which is currently 3%, should be looked at for possible savings. Also, any request for a new line item should be closely examined, as it is difficult to remove a budget item once it’s added to the budget.
I am committed to ensuring that every tax dollar is spent wisely. Being a good steward of taxpayer money is an essential part of being a BoF member. Promoting fiscal responsibility will help us to attract new businesses to our small, but growing town. Our location along the lower Route 9 corridor is ideal and we should be encouraging businesses to relocate here.
Consider also that the BoF kept the mill rate the same at our meeting in May. Having spared the taxpayers from yet another property tax increase was a good thing. Increasing revenue, while at the same time controlling spending, is the combination that we should be striving for each and every year. Finally, it is important to remember that the BoF controls only 23%-24% of our town’s budget. The Board of Education controls the rest.
In summary, I am asking you for your vote during the upcoming election so that we can keep our beautiful town in a strong financial position.
Scott Bowden, Haddam
