Orange Budget Referendum May 21

The town of Orange will hold a budget referendum Tuesday, May 21, where residents will have the opportunity to vote yes or no on an operating budget of $61 million for next fiscal year.

"This budget cycle has presented significant fiscal challenges: Federal pass-through funds and state-initiated funding have been frozen at last year levels and in some cases reduced or eliminated entirely," A.W. Chiarenzelli writes in a budget message posted on the town's website.

Chiarenzelli continues, "The budget for general town operations has increased by 3.68 percent or $762,816 while our share of the Amity budget increased by $915,022 or 4.42 percent. The Orange Board of Education increased by 2.72 percent, or $483,167. The aggregate increase in the budget for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 is $2,162,215 or 3.65 percent."

Chiarenzelli notes that capital expenditures in the proposed budget include four replacement police vehicles, a dump truck, renovations at Orange Town Hall and Orange Police Department, and a $15.4 million bond for road improvements, a new library roof, school roofs, and "major security upgrades to all schools."

The budget referendum will be held at the High Plains Community Center, 525 Orange Center Road. Polls will be open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., per state statute, according to the town clerk's office.