Tax Hike Expected In West Hartford, Budget Hearings Start Tuesday

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Taxpayers Tuesday will be able to weigh in at the first public hearing on how the town's government and schools will spend their tax dollars next fiscal year.

And, as it stands now, those taxpayers could be paying 5 percent more in taxes this summer when the bills are sent out for fiscal year 2024-25.

How those dollars are spent determines how much residents, businesses, and property owners will have to pay in taxes this year.

The West Hartford Town Council on March 12 scheduled two public hearings, one for Tuesday, March 26, at 6 p.m. and the other for Wednesday, April 3, at 2 p.m.

Those hearings will take place at West Hartford Town Hall, 50 S. Main St.

According to West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith, who presented the budgets to the council last week, the combined spending plan is about $349.07 million, 5.4 percent larger than current spending.

That is comprised of a $131.5 million town general government budget (5.42 percent hike); a $201.3 million education budget (5.84 percent hike); and a $16.24 million capital financing budget for one-time expenditures such as repairs and equipment (0.05 percent hike).

According to Ledwith's presentation, the new mill rate would be 42.90, a 1.98-mill (or 4.84 percent) hike in taxes compared to last year's tax bill for 2023-24.

If you're home is assessed at $250,000, your taxes will increase by $495 this year compared to last year, according to the proposed tax impacts right now.

Because motor vehicle taxes are subject to a state-mandated cap, that mill rate is unchanged from a year ago, at 32.46.

All of the increases are tied to the cost of doing business as a municipality, namely staffing costs, program costs, and the increasing costs of providing the same services as before.

Ledwith said local officials recognize the challenges taxpayers are facing and the goal is for the council and school board, who decide the budgets in West Hartford, to work to bring that hike down.

"We will be working closely with our town council and with our colleagues on the board of education side as well to mitigate that increase as much as possible," Ledwith said.

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor admitted to the task ahead.

"We have a lot to dig through and there's a lot here," Cantor said of the spending plans.

She said this year's budget figures early are larger than desired but will be addressed somehow.

"That was a really challenging number that we have this year, unusually so," Cantor said.

Several public meetings will take place at the town and school level through early April to try and tweak the spending plans as they stand now.

"There's a lot of work to take place over the next six weeks to work on our budget, as well as the superintendent's budget," Ledwith said.

Said Cantor: "Is it going to be perfect? Absolutely not. But we try our best to keep moving the community forward and invest in the things we can. As everyone will realize ... there's not a lot of flexibility with this budget."

The town council is expected to finalize the spending plans at its meeting on April 26, a major vote that would also go a long way in determining what taxpayers will pay.

For the minutes of the March 12 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.

For the full proposed 2024-25 West Hartford town/school budget, click on this link.