Deadline Looms For Proposed Brookfield Budget

BROOKFIELD, CT — The 2020-21 combined budget for the town and schools rests currently with the Board of Finance, who can tweak it until its adoption deadline of June 4.

The current bottom line is $71,523,178, a 2.09 percent ($1.46 million) increase over the 2019-20 spending plan.

In simpler, healthier, times, residents would have the final say in a public budget referendum. But Gov. Ned Lamont waived that requirement in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, empowering municipalities' Board of Selectmen to set the spending plans and mill rates.

The budget as proposed currently, and presented to residents this week, would deliver a mill rate of 29.65, or a 1.76 percent hike in taxes.