Norwich residents are being reminded that elections have consequences, as does not voting and letting others make decisions for you.

In the November 2015 election, the Republican slate for City Council ran an effective campaign on a platform to control spending and stop tax increases. Republicans captured five of the six contested seats, leaving them with 5-2 control. The other Democrat, Mayor Deberey Hinchey, was not up for re-election.

Having succeeding in winning, the Republican majority now appears ready to make good on their promises, but that won’t necessarily be good for the city or the students in its public schools.

New City Manager John Salomone, assessing the political landscape, did a good job of holding down spending in his budget proposal, hitting the education side of the budget particularly hard. If adopted as proposed, his budget would raise the general tax rate by a modest 0.73 mills.

Republicans, however, have now put on the table additional cuts that, if enacted, would reduce the tax rate by 0.14 mills.

Included is an additional reduction of $740,000 in education. It is difficult to see how the school system could sustain that cut on top of reductions already proposed by the city manager. The Republican majority is divided, however, about whether that is a step too far.

The Republican plan would cut Otis Library funding $130,000. That announcement comes just a few days after Otis received the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Services. The organization pointed to Otis’ exceptional service to the community. The proposed cut qualifies as a kick in the teeth.

There are also cuts to the fire department and to Norwich Human Services.

Arguably, they go too far, but those who bothered to vote in the last election sent the message that holding down taxes, rather than the quality of services or education, was the priority.

The council will vote on a preliminary budget at 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall. A second public hearing is set for May 9. If citizens are having second thoughts about whether such deep cuts are a good idea, that hearing is their chance to speak up.