Budget/Tax Hike Up For Vote Tuesday In Simsbury

SIMSBURY, CT — Voters have a very important job to do Tuesday as they will decide how Simsbury spends its tax dollars in both the school system and town affairs.

And, what they decide Tuesday could go a long way toward impacting what they pay in taxes this summer when bills go out.

The annual budget referendum will be held on Tuesday, May 16, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Henry James Memorial School (155 Firetown Road, Simsbury). Absentee ballots are available in the Simsbury Town Clerk’s Office until end of day Monday, May 15.

After weaks of tweaks and fine-tuning, the latest town/school spending plan for 2023-24 stands at $121.67 million, a 5.83 percent (or $6.7 million) increase from current spending.

Included in that package is an $82.2 million education budget, which is a 4.69 percent ($1.42 million) increase from current school spending.

The proposed tax impact is on a case-by-case basis because of the recently completed revaluation.

While the mill rate is expected to go down from 37.41 to 30.82, it doesn't mean an automatic tax decrease because property values this year will be taxed based on new assessments compared to last year.

The town has created an online tax caluculator feature on its website where folks can figure out what this new mill rate will mean for them based on the proposed budget and new property values.

According to Simsbury officials, the homeowner with a median-assessed home is looking at a $415 increase in their tax bill this year, a 5.18 percent hike.

The Simsbury Board of Finance will formally adopt a mill rate following the referendum.

Attached here is the sample ballot, the full referendum warning and budget summary as well as a budget mailer sent to all residences.

For additional budget information, click here.

For information on the Simsbury education budget, click on this link.

Can't see the table below? Click here to view the original story.

To calculate your individual tax impact regarding the budget, click on this link.