Wilton Budget Passes Through Town Meeting Unscathed

WILTON, CT — Budgets proposed by both the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education for fiscal year 2020 went under the public microscope at the annual Town Meeting Tuesday, and both emerged unaltered.

Some attendees were sharply critical of the BOE's spending plan (see the full meeting video here), even though it has already undergone a series of cuts since it was first presented earlier this year, reflecting concerns over declining student enrollment and aid from Hartford. It now sits at $81,876,563. That's a zero percent increase over the current budget.

The selectmen are also proposing a zero percent increase for the municipal side. Coupled with the plan for capital expenditures, the BOS budget totals $33,501,999.

With Debt Service set at $10,153,497 and Charter Authority at $1,255,321, the total proposed operating expense for 2019-20 is $126,787,380.

Voters will also weigh separately on four bonding resolutions: Bridge replacement ($1,300,000), school district roof replacement ($600,000), Town Hall roof replacement ($350,000) and paving for roads and town parking lot ($3,398,150).

Attendees of the Town Meeting had their opportunity to cast their votes following its conclusion Tuesday at the Wilton High School Clune Center, but the majority of residents are expected to weigh in on Saturday, May 11, when continue from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., also at the Clune Center.

Voters will have the option of approving the budget as proposed, rejecting it because they think it is too low, or rejecting it because they think it is too high. Voter turnout must be at least fifteen percent of the town population for the referendum to stick.