RTM Approves Branford Budget, Taxes Increasing

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

BRANFORD, CT – A $111 million 2017-18 fiscal year budget was approved by a 22-6 vote of the Representative Town Meeting on May 9th.

The budget represents a 5 percent hike in taxes for Branford residents from current year expenditures.

The RTM decided to, at the recommendation of the Board of Finance, allocate $2.7 million in its budget to fund for retirement costs for teachers in the town of Branford – costs that have previously been incurred by the state.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy has proposed in his budget package shifting 1/3rd of the $1.2 billion cost of teacher pensions back onto the towns to pay – for Branford $2.7 million – because the state’s financial picture is so bleak.

Currently the state is running a multi-billion dollar budget deficit.

The RTM decided to allocate the funds for the teacher retirement fund even though some RTM members stated that they are hopeful that Malloy’s plan to shift the retirement costs back to the town will eventually be rejected by the full state legislature.