Bethel’s $31.6 Million Town Budget Cleared for Second Referendum

BETHEL, CT — The latest 2019-20 municipal budget — a $31.6 million spending plan just $385,000 less than the one rejected by voters earlier this month — will be heading to referendum on May 7.

Residents attending the town meeting Wednesday night gave the go-ahead, the News-Times reported.

A $46.4 million school budget and $1 million in capital expenses have already been approved by voters.

Should the new proposed municipal plan be approved, taxes will increase 1.65 percent. That number was 2.24 in the budget rejected by voters in its first pass.

The senior center and the Parks and Recreation Department both got haircuts in the new numbers, but the financiers' hands were stayed from doing deeper damage after learning the state owes the town $285,000 from the high school renovation project.

Bethel residents have a history of sending the finance board back to the lab again. Last year, only the school budget was approved in the first try, and both the town and capital plans took two referendums.