Windsor Locks Tries Again On Town Budget Tuesday

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — Windsor Locks voters will head back to the polls Tuesday to decide the town budget, two weeks after the first version was rejected.

Voting is scheduled from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 16. District 1 voters will cast ballots at Town Hall, 50 Church St. District 2 voters will vote at Windsor Locks High School, 58 South Elm St.

The first budget referendum failed June 2. Voters rejected the main town and school budget 951-487, the town’s special downtown development fund budget 910-522, and the capital budget 866-568.

After that vote, the Board of Finance cut the proposal by $972,000 and sent a smaller budget back to voters.

The new proposal includes a $65,286,350 operating budget. That is the main budget that pays for town government, schools, public safety, public works, employee benefits, debt payments, recreation and other services.

Of that amount, $35,279,328 is for the Board of Education. The remaining $30,007,022 is for town government.

The revised plan carries a proposed mill rate of 22.62. A mill rate is used to calculate property taxes. It means property owners pay $22.62 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

Voters will also decide two smaller budget questions.

One asks whether to approve $465,098 for the town’s Tax Increment Financing District, commonly called a TIF. That fund is tied to downtown development.

The other asks whether to approve $102,552 for capital projects. Capital projects are generally bigger, longer-term purchases or improvements, such as building work, equipment or infrastructure.

Absentee ballots may be requested in person at the Windsor Locks Town Clerk’s Office.