Berlin Still Has No Town/School Budgets For 2024-25.

BERLIN, CT — The town enters the first working week in June and it still doesn't have an approved town/school budgets for the next fiscal year.

Last week, May 28, voters at the town's second referendum, again, said "no" to both general government and education spending plans for 2024-25.

Voter advisory questions indicated the general government budget was too high and the school budget too low.

The results are the same as on April 28, when voters also soundly rejected both budgets.

Now, Berlin officials must scramble to try and get a third spending plan to voters prior to the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30.

According to the budget figures:

• 499 voted "no" against Berlin's proposed $50.3 million general government budget, while only 239 voted "yes."

• 595 voted "no" against Berlin's proposed $53.38 million education budget while only 151 voted "yes"

The combined $102.7 million town/school budget for 2024-25 carried a 2.06-percent tax hike.

The second budget was slightly smaller than what was rejected by referendum voters in April and the tax impact was slightly lessened as well.

This second budget would have upped taxes by 0.61 mills for a 30.17 rate compared to the first budget, which would have upped taxes by 0.65 mills.

While the tax increase was lessened, it wasn't enough.

For a homeowner with a house assessed at $300,000, the new mill rate would have meant a $183 hike in taxes this summer. The budget rejected in April would have upped taxes by $195.

It means the town's budget revisions between April 28 and May 28 would have saved this homeowner $12 on their new tax bills.

From May 1: 'Berlin Voters Blast Budgets'

For the Berlin budget information page, click on this link.