To the Editor:

You should all be ashamed of yourselves – both the Board of Selectmen and the Budget Advisory Committee – with the exception of one member!

After seeing that the proposed increase for veterans’ benefits did not pass, I find it necessary to ask myself, has the patriotism in Milford gotten this low?

I feel that inadequate information was provided by both boards. The mention of a $53,000 increase to cover this proposal was not broken down to show how it would be managed other than the tax impact of $.041 per $1,000 of assessed value, or $4.10 per $100,000.

Since no facts were stated in the argument, I did the best I could with available information.

I have calculated that there are approximately 556 veterans now collecting the benefit. If these 556 housing units are subtracted from the total of 6,304 units (79.4 percent of tax base, 20.6 percent by commercial/other) this leaves 5,748 units to cover the cost of $53,000. This works out to about $9.22 per housing unit to cover the proposed benefit increase! To put it another way, that’s less than $5 increase on each tax bill.

With an approximate population of 15,152 (2012 census), excluding 1,112 veterans and their spouses, there’s a total of 14,040 residents in Milford.

Where would these 14,040 residents be living or what would they be doing if not for the efforts of the 556 vets and their families currently residing in Milford? And let’s not forget the veterans that never made it back!

Veterans such as myself have served this great country for many different reasons but for one common goal to keep this country great and free for our families and all its citizens.

Of the 14,040 residents, it’s time to rethink why am I living in Milford if I don’t support the men and women who allow me that privilege.

NICK DARCHIK

Milford