Southington Taxes To Rise, But Not As High As Before

SOUTHINGTON, CT — When summer tax bills arrive this summer, Southington taxpayers will have to pay 3.56 percent more this year than a year ago.

The tax increase will come after the Southington Town Council's May 13 adoption of municipal/school spending plans for 2024-25.

In seven separate votes, the Republican-led council approved comprehensive spending packages, with some of the decisions made along party lines, and others not.

Overall, Southington adopted approximately $179.9 million in town/school/debt service spending, a figure about 4 percent larger than the current budget.

Tax-wise, the budget means the mill rate will increase from 30.36 to 31.44, a 1.08 mill tax increase.

For a home assessed at $300,000, the new mill rate — which was adopted by the Southington Board of Finance last week after the council decision — means an extra $324 in taxes to be paid to the town this year.

The approved tax hike is, actually, slightly smaller than the tax increase originally estimated by the town, with a 1.29-mill hike proposed before last week.

The full breakdown of the council's budget votes is as follows:

• Council members voted 5-3 along party lines in favor of a $115.96 million school budget, one that is 5.71 percent larger.

Those voting "yes" were Republicans Paul Chaplinsky, Jr. (chairman); Jennifer Clock; Tony Morrison; Jim Morelli (vice chairman); and Michael DelSanto.

William Dziedzic, a Republican, was not in attendance.

Those voting "no" were Democrats Jack Perry; Valerie DePaolo; and Christopher Palmieri.

• Council members voted 5-3 along party lines in favor of a $50.89 million general government budget, one 3.5 percent larger than this year.

Those voting "yes" were Republicans Paul Chaplinsky, Jr. (chairman); Jennifer Clock; Tony Morrison; Jim Morelli (vice chairman); and Michael DelSanto.

William Dziedzic, a Republican, was not in attendance.

Those voting "no" were Democrats Jack Perry; Valerie DePaolo; and Christopher Palmieri.

• The council voted 6-1 with one abstention for a $926,023 recreation department budget (within general government spending), with Perry voting "no" and Palmieri abstaining.

• The council voted 8-0 for a town debt service budget of $13.06 million (within the general government budget).

• The council voted 8-0 on a $6.89 million sewer budget (within general government spending).

• The council voted 8-0 on a $300,846 animal control department budget (within general government spending).

• The council voted 7-1 on a $24.6 million capital budget (within general government spending), with Perry the lone dissenter.

Much of the debate about the budgets centered on whether the town could utilize some surplus funds to, perhaps, increase spending in areas like education.

Ultimately, the council majority opted to keep the town's surplus higher than recommended as a hedge against future situations that might require undesignated fund balance depletion.

Some pointed out that, despite talk of budget "cuts," the only thing being reduced wasn't the budgets, but rather the budget increases sought at the start of budget season.

"Again, we heard a lot. Cut, cut, cut. Actually, we're not cutting anything. We're increasing the school board budget by 5.7 percent and the government budget by 3.54 percent," Morelli, the vice chairman, said.

"We have a bigger obligation here to make sure that our taxes remain flat or within reason and that we fund the government properly."

Southington officials said they expected to have the full, approved municipal/school budgets — along with specific tax impacts — posted on the town's website.

For the minutes of the May 13 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.

For Town of Southington website, click on this link.

From April 17: 'TONIGHT: Tax Increase Expected As Southington Seeks Budget Input'