What Are the Duties of the Finance Board?

With budget season well underway, here's a snapshot of the duties of the Board of Finance.

Finance board Vice Chairman and Secretary Thomas Gugliotti (D) presented the following requirements, as dictated under the town of Avon charter, to the board at its meeting Monday.

• The finance board must hold at least one public hearing no later than three weeks before the annual budget meeting, allowing electors and taxpayers to speak.

• The Board of Finance can make revisions to the budget after the public hearing and consulting with the Town Council and Board of Education. Copies of a budget summary will also be available at the public hearings and in the Town Manager's Office.

• The budget moderator adjourns the annual budget meeting and a budget referendum will be held between a week and two weeks from then. Gugliotti said that before the town started having budget referendums, the people in attendance at the annual budget meeting would

• According to Gugliotti, as per the town charter, if the voter turnout for the budget referendum is less than 9 percent of registered voters in Avon, the budget automatically passes. That holds true even if a majority votes against the budget.

• The Board of Finance adjusts the tax rate within 10 days of the budget passing.

• If the majority of voters reject a budget, as per the town charter, the town can hold up to two more referendums. If the budget still fails, the Town Council has final say on setting the budget. Board of Finance Chairman Thomas Harrison (R) said that the council could then raise or lower the budget.

The full town charter is available via the town website, accessible through Municode.

Editor's Note: If there's something in this article that you think should be corrected or if you have questions or a news tip give Avon Patch Editor Jessie Sawyer a ring at 860-356-6339 or shoot her an e-mail at Jessie.Sawyer@patch.com. Join in on the Avon Patch conversation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AvonPatch ) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/AvonPatch ).