Voters Head to Polls on $120M Newtown Budget Referendum Tuesday

NEWTOWN, CT — Voters will have the opportunity to weigh in upon the proposed 2019-20 town and education budgets when the polls open at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

The Board of Education is requesting $78,104,410 for the next year, an increase of $2,050,179 or 2.70 percent above the current spend.

On the Town side, the Board of Selectmen have proposed a budget of $42,179,503.

The overall proposed spending plan of $120,283,913 is 2.70% above the current budget, and would translate into an effective tax increase of 1.56%, on a mill rate of 34.77.

Here is where the BOE proposes to spend your money in the next fiscal year:

• Elementary Education 14%
• Reed Intermediate School Education 6%
• Middle School Education 7%
• High School Education 16%
• Special Education 14%
• Pupil Personnel Services 5%
• Curriculum 2%
• Technology 2%
• General Services 4%
• Employee Benefits 14%
• Plant Operation and Maintenance 10%
• Transportation Services 6%

The big driver across all categories is salaries, which comprise 64.1% of the total budget. Salaries and benefits combined equal 78.3% of the education budget.

The increase is projected despite an anticipated drop in enrollment. The number of students for the 2019-2020 school year is expected to be lower by 83 students, down 2 percent from current enrollment of 4,268 students.

Full details on the proposed education budget is available on the BOE Web page.

The big ticket items on the Town side include Public Safety, which includes Fire and Police, at $10,520,468, which is slightly less than the $10,763,425 proposed for Public Works, which includes $7,700,924 alone for highway department. $9,249,118 is earmarked for Debt Service, $4,769,088 for General Government, and Recreation and Leisure is afforded $3,884,529.

Complete on the Board of Selectmen's Town Budget may be found here.

Residents may cast their votes Tuesday, April 23, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Newtown Middle School on 11 Queen Street.