Simsbury Board of Finance Meeting August 20, 2024

Board of Finance Meeting August 20, 2024

I am concerned that the taxes are escalating year after year.

The elected officials should reduce the budgets through Zero-Based budgeting with creative budgeting and willingness to cut programs.

The Sims-Croft building on 2 Farms Village Road is up for the sale for $998,500 and pays $17,513.11 in taxes.

The town should not be in the Real Estate business and should not purchase the property for municipal use that will increase taxes on additional operating costs.

The town should be using their political capital to regionalize Special Education, redistrict the schools and place the 6th grade at the Junior High.

This would reduce about 400 students in the elementary schools, leaving a re-configuration of the schools.

Presently there are five elementary schools that would be reduced to four schools.

The elementary schools should be divided into K-2, 3-5, leaving one school empty with fewer administrators.

One of the vacant buildings could be used for a stand-alone Police Department.

All the elected officials should collaborate to show restraint in the expenditures.

A Charter Revision Commision should be convened to eliminate many of the boards and commissions that have not over the years added value to the town.

According to the findings of Lisa Heavner, after thorough review, abatements should not be used for economic development.

The Recreation Department has run a deficit of $151,000.

This is not viable long-term.

At the present time, the Golf Course has shown an increase in revenue.

However, with a recession on the horizon and discretionary income reduced, golf is expensive to play and expensive to maintain, the town should be forward looking and invite a golf management company to manage the golf course and the restaurant.

Many towns and private clubs have management companies to provide access to many golf courses, provide increased purchasing power to reduce costs and have been an asset to the players.

The Board of Finance should be forward thinking and demand restraint.