West Hartford Budget Proposal Features 'One of the Lowest' Tax Increases in Years: Town Manager

WEST HARTFORD, CT – The town council will scrutinize a $269.3 million budget for fiscal year 2016-17, which carries a property tax increase of 1.9 percent, that Town Manager Ron Van Winkle presented on Tuesday night.

Van Winkle told the council the budget he is proposing is “one of the lowest tax increases” the town has had in some time, according to the Hartford Courant.

The proposal increases spending by $11.3 million over the current budget, which included a 2.5 percent tax increase.

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This year’s budget includes two different mill rates — one for real and personal property and a separate one for motor vehicles — due to a state-required motor vehicle tax cap, according to We-Ha.com.

We-Ha reports the “average” homeowner, with a home assessed at $224,000 and two vehicles assessed at $9,000 each, will see a tax increase of $182 under the proposed budget.

The council is scheduled to adopt a final budget on April 25 and public hearings on the budget will take place on March 22 at 6:45 p.m. and March 29 at 2 p.m.

Read more at the Hartford Courant here and We-Ha.com here.

The entire proposed budget can be found on the town website here.

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