Board of Finance to Hold Budget Workshop Today

The Board of Finance this afternoon is expected to set a proposed budget to bring to voters.

The board originally met in mid April to take action on the proposed town budgets but delayed the decision after Gov. Dannel P. Malloy released a “Plan B” scenario that stated towns would receive a drastic cut in funding if unions did not make concessions.

While state leaders are still looking into ways to balance the budget, the legislature has passed a package that indicates funding to the towns, both with Educational Cost Sharing and aid to towns, will be relatively steady, said finance board Chairman Richard Ohanesian.

“We certainly ought to be able to move forward today and get this completed,” he said.

Finance board member Mary Tomolonius said she feels some cuts to the cities and towns are “still a possibility” if Malloy does not get concessions and has to resort to layoffs and other measures.

“I think the governor’s been pretty clear as to what he’s going to do,” she said. 

However, she agrees the finance board is in a much better place to make decisions than it would have been last month. 

The workshop will take place at 3:30 p.m. in the Community Center. While there are provisions for brief public comment, Ohanesian said it will be limited since the meeting is a board workshop. Public hearings have already been held.

As currently proposed, the town’s plans total $34,395,768, a 2.2 percent increase from the current fiscal year.

The Board of Education’s proposal is $22,904,566, a 2.8 percent increase from the current spending plan of $22,283,809.  

The Board of Selectmen’s proposed budget is $9,314,852, a 2.5 percent increase from the current adjusted budget of $9,085,283.

Debt Service is slated at $2,071,000, a 6.6 percent decrease. The Board of Finance Budget, which has been approved, is $105,350, down 9.5 percent.

Under current levels of state funding and tax collection, those numbers would leave a $579,036 “gap” that would have to be made up through increased taxes or decreased spending.

If the finance board did not adjust the totals at all, owners of a house with a market value of $361,429 and an assessed value of $253,000 would have to pay an additional $134 in taxes, town officials said.

The annual budget meeting is May 26 but the plan is expected to go to referendum June 8.

Selectman David Gilchrist Jr. has said he is planning to help circulate a petition to get the 150 signatures necessary for a referendum. While he normally waits to see what the final numbers are, he said a referendum makes sense this year since voters also have to have their say on some proposed changes to the town’s charter.