Update: Somers Residents Approve Proposed Budget

Update, 8:15 p.m.

The proposed budget has passed by a margin of 344 to 131.

Original Story

On Tuesday, residents in Somers can vote on the 2015-16 proposed budget.

Voting will take place from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. in the town hall auditorium.

The proposed budget is $30,696,103 and represents an overall increase of 2.67 percent over last year’s adopted budget of $29,898,933.

First Selectwoman Lisa Pellegrini says that it provides the town the ability to continue maintaining all programs and services to the residents.

“We are recommending the current mill rate of 23.37 remain unchanged,” she said. “We believe we can meet our community needs without a property tax increase for the second consecutive year.”

With regard to revenues, the town’s Grand List increased by 1.76 percent, resulting in slightly higher projected tax revenues. The general government budget of $7,410,849 represents an increase of 5.01 percent.

Overall debt service expenditures have gone down by 9.8 percent due to the town receiving a $271,122 premium on the sale of its GO Bonds which will offset the need for any general fund revenues to pay bond interest payments.

Additionally, because of the receipt of insurance proceeds in excess of $200,000 in the capital fund related to the loss of the town’s ambulance, the need for general fund support for capital improvement projects has decreased by 33.3 percent.

The Board of Education approved a $21,463,926 budget for a 3.47 percent increase.