Simsbury's Budget: What You Need To Know

SIMSBURY, CT — Simsbury's school system and general government are putting their proposed spending plans before the public Wednesday at a special budget hearing.

The hearing is at 6 p.m. in the Simsbury Public Library's Tariffville Room, 725 Hopmeadow St.

Up for discussion are proposed 2024-25 spending plans for the town, schools, and Simsbury's capital improvements project program/debt.

The total town/school spending plan is $110.74 million, 1.47 percent larger than current spending.

It includes a general government budget of $28.74 million (a 9.28 percent decrease); a board of education budget of $85.22 million (a 4.46 percent hike); a debt service/capital budget of $8.92 million (14.21 percent hike); and funding for non-public school tuition at $588,724 (2.8 percent smaller).

The current mill rate (including the fire district taxes) is 31.82, with the proposed mill rates with the 2024-25 budget proposal now at 33.89, according to Simsbury First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis.

This means a proposed tax hike of 2.07 mills.

For a home assessed at $300,000 in Simsbury, the tax hike amounts to an extra $621 in taxes when bills go out in the summer.

Following the hearing, the Simsbury Board of Finance will take the public input in consideration as it formulates a spending package that will go before voters.

Simsbury was planning for a budget referendum on May 14, which has now been changed to Friday, May 10.

Copies of proposed budget estimates, revenues, and tax impacts are available for general distribution in the Simsbury Town Clerk's office and are posted on the town website at www.simsbury-ct.gov/budget.

For a complete list of past and current budgets, along with the budget timeline in Simsbury, click on this link.