Community Corner

Committee Approves Tax-Dollar Donations To Nonprofits (Poll)

Members Say Funding These Groups Is The Right Thing To Do

Tuesday, the Social Service Grants Committee approved $29,130 in donations to a variety of local charities and nonprofits that serve hundreds of Waterford residents.

“I believe the government has a role in helping those who can’t help themselves,” committee member and Board of Finance member J.W. “Bill” Sheehan said. “The taxpayers as a whole have a responsibility to help out those in need.”

The committee, which is composed of Sheehan, First Selectman Dan Steward and RTM members Thomas Ammirati and William Auwood, heard presentations from several nonprofit organizations in the area, such as the Thames Valley Council for Community Action (received $4,280) and the New London Homeless Center (received $2,250). Many had similar stories, saying a

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There were also troubling, more surprising revelations as well, such as Emmett Riley, the director of development for the Southeastern Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (SCADD), who said heroin use is exploding across the nation and in the region. People are being prescribed painkillers and becoming addicted, and when the prescription runs out the person still searches for that same high and turns to heroin, Riley said.

“It has no economic barriers,” Riley said. “It’s frightening.”

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SCADD served 81 Waterford residents in 2011, Riley said. The group received $2,000 from the town.

Practicality

Steward said Tuesday this year would be a tight budget for the town, and there is a chance his budget , which would already raise taxes 5.53 percent. With that being said, cutting donations to these organizations is not the right thing to do, he said.

“These are organizations that help out people in our own town most in need,” Steward said. “We will find the money elsewhere... It will not break our budget.”

Having Waterford donate to these groups increases their chances of getting grants, Steward said. And the amount of money and effort these groups spend on Waterford residents far exceeds the amount of money the town gives, Sheehan said.

“If I could, I would like to give more to some of these organizations,” said Steward, who also said he personally donates to some of the charities.

The Social Service Grants Committee meets for a final time on Thursday at 10 a.m. in . All funding must still be approved by the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting.

The allocations were: TVCCA, $4,280; SECT Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency, Inc, $2,000; Community Health Center, $1,700; Women's Center of Southeastern Connecticut, $6,500; United Community and Family Services, $7,200; Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, $1,800; New London County Association for Retarded Citizens, $1,800; Disabled American Veterans, $250; Veterans of Foreign Wars, $1,350; New London Homeless Hospitality Center, $2,250.


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