GUILFORD, CT — For the second time, Guilford residents have rejected the proposed 2026-2027 budget at referendum.
According to results from the town, 2,154 residents voted in favor of the spending plan on Tuesday, while 2,258 voted against.
Following the rejection of the proposed budget last month, the Guilford Board of Finance voted unanimously to cut $750,000 — $525,000 from the Board of Education side, and $225,000 from the Board of Selectmen side.
The revised budget that residents considered Tuesday totaled $128.6 million, which would have resulted in a proposed mill rate of 28.60, an increase of 3.4 percent.
According to the town, a resident with a home assessed at $500,000 would have seen their property tax bill increase by about $475.
The full results can be found here.
On April 21 in the first referendum, the budget question failed by a vote of 1,708 in favor and 1,967 opposed.
The Board of Finance will go back to the drawing board to make more cuts, then the Board of Education and Board of Selectmen will meet.
A town budget meeting will be scheduled at Guilford High School, and another referendum date will be set. Dates have not yet been finalized by the town.
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