North Branford Town Council Approves $65M Budget, Referendum Set

NORTH BRANFORD, CT — The North Branford Town Council approved a $65 million budget for the next fiscal year, Town Manager Michael Downes said.

The Council voted to approve adjustments made to the budget proposed by Downes' office and the Board of Education, sending the budget to a town-wide referendum on May 13.

The budget represents a 5.1 percent increase over the prior year’s budget, Downes said.

"The vote on the budget follows a state-mandated independent revaluation process which saw residential property increase in value at a far greater percentage than commercial, something that is happening state-wide with other municipalities, which shifts the tax burden more onto residential taxpayers," Downes said.

The mill rate for the town has decreased 8.9 mills accordingly from 35.93 last fiscal year, to 27.84 under the Council’s proposed budget. The Council cut over $2.1 million from the Town Manager / Board of Education budget over the $5.1 million previously cut by the Town Manager.

Increases in the budget are driven largely by inflation, increased costs in materials and supplies, contracts, insurance, and personnel, as well as increasing debt service mostly associated with the new high school and police department projects. This is coupled with a significant decrease in state aid in Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed budget, Downes explained.

Downes said the budget provides a $200,000 increase to the Board of Education, arranges for the purchase of a new Engine 1 for the North Branford Fire Department —without yet committing funds. The Council also cut operating hours of the Edward Smith and Atwater Libraries, removing all winter Sunday hours, and eliminated a current part-time position in the Building Department. The votes on budget adjustments were unanimous apart from the vote on the level of the Board of Education increase which passed on a party-line vote, six Republicans in favor, three Democrats against.

The budget now goes before residents for a town-wide budget referendum May 13. Polls are open from noon to 8 p.m.

For more info on the budget and the referendum, visit www.northbranfordct.gov