Avon's 2024 Budget War: Public Hearing Monday On Third Try

AVON, CT — With the clock ticking toward the end of the current fiscal year, Avon still doesn't have an approved town/school budget for 2024-25.

Local officials this week unveiled the latest meeting schedule en route to a third referendum to decide the town's fiscal future.

Twice, voters have soundly rejected the same $116.09 million town/school budget proposal for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

Avon officials hope to conduct a third referendum on Monday, July 8, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Avon Senior Center. Absentee ballots will be available in the Avon Town Clerk’s Office on June 25.

Before the vote, local leaders have some work to do as they look to present another spending plan to voters. The schedule is as follows:

• The boards of finance and education will join the Avon Town Council in a budget workshop Tuesday, June 18, at 7 p.m. at Avon Fire Company No. 1 (25 Darling Drive) and virtually via GoToMeeting.

• If needed, a second workshop of those same boards will take place Thursday, June 20, at 7 p.m. at Avon Fire Company No. 1 (25 Darling Drive) and virtually via GoToMeeting.

• The Avon Board of Finance will host a public hearing on the budget on Monday, June 24, at 7 p.m. at the Avon Senior Center (635 West Avon Road). It will be live-streamed via GoToMeeting.

The live stream may be accessed by the web at https://meet.goto.com/376546261 or by phone by dialing 1-866-899-4679 and entering access code 376-546-261.

After the hearing, the board of finance will have its regular meeting to finalize the budget that will be presented on the third ballot, which will be at the Avon Senior Center and live-streamed.

Information regarding the proposed budget will be made available on the town’s website once it becomes available.

Budget war

Amid post-revaluation year, many residents have seen property values soar, which is good for resale, but it can cause some sticker shock when it comes to paying taxes.

That, perhaps, is fueling the landslide nature of Avon's budget rejections.

After polls closed on June 7 at the Avon Senior Center, the vote wasn't even close — 686 "yes" votes to 1,745 "no" votes. Voter turnout was 18.6 percent.

Taxes with that budget were expected to increase by an average of slightly less than 3 percent, not counting revaluation figures.

In May, voters resoundingly shot down that same $116.09 million town/school budget with 299 "yes" votes to 1,378 "no" votes.

In both referendums, voter turnout exceeded the 9 percent, charter-mandated threshold for a vote to be valid on the budget. It was 12.4 percent in the first referendum.

If less than 9 percent of voters turn out, the budget is automatically approved, regardless of what the votes say.

How the budgets impact individual taxpayers depends on the new, post-revaluation assessments.

The Town of Avon had set up a web page that allowed taxpayers to calculate their tax bill based on that proposed 2024-25 budget going to voters.

For more information on the Avon budget and the budget process, click on this link.

From June 7: 'Avon Voters Blast Budgets (Again)'