Newtown's most up-to-date budget proposal was presented at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting Monday night, July 2.
Issued by Director of Finance Robert Tait, the $106,246,838 proposed budget carries a tax increase of 0.69%.
There are three major components of the budget that contribute to the increase, according to First Selectman Patricia Llodra -- municipal services, debt service and the Board of Education.
Under the latest budget proposal, municipal services has decreased by $130,000, to -0.14 percent of its current funding level.
The Board of Education budget increase of $384,367, or 0.41%, comes in for a total of $68,355,794.
Debt service has increased on a yearly basis by $337,396, or 0.36%, which translates to a total $10,059,789. What that means for a taxpayer with an average property tax bill of $8,000 is that $26 of his/her $55 increase would be due to debt service.
According to Selectman William Rodgers, the debt service increase is due to a contractual commitment from years past. “We have no control over this,” he said.
There has been a 0.06% decline in other revenues, Llodra said, which translated to an addition of $54,718 to the tax increase.
The overall projected tax increase of $1,286,481 is decreased by $640,000, which is the result of an increase in the Grand List.
“If you add all of these up, it amounts to $646,481, which is exactly the amount of the increased tax burden,” Llodra said.
The mill rate would be 24.54 -- 0.69% higher than the current 24.37 mills. For a further breakdown of the budget, see the attached PDF.
This is Newtown's fifth shot at passing the 2012-13 budget., with many calling for a budget that carries no tax increase. The next referendum is scheduled for July 12 at Newtown Middle School.
Have Your Say
For those residents who would like to discuss any aspect of the budget, Llodra has scheduled additional office hours. The chair and vice chairs of the Board of Finance, Board of Education and the Legislative Council may also choose to attend meetings. Llodra said that at least some of the board members will be available to answer questions.
The hours are:
- Sunday, July 1, 10-11:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, July 4, 2-3 p.m.
- Friday, July 6, 5-6 p.m.
- Saturday, July 7, 2-3 p.m.
- Monday, July 9, 5-6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 10, 5-6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 11, 5-6:30 p.m.
Moody's credibility is pretty shot, not sure how relevant they are, but they would be completely irrelevant if the town was fiscally responsible and stopped borrowing. Should be easy, 34th richest and all....
You are in the wrong town. You need to move to a place where you are in over your head finically, and see what it feels like. Try Greenwich or Ridgefield. Take a big mortgage, then have the house go down 40% and have your husband loose his job. Now they want 5% more in tax and how does that make you feel? It makes you feel out of control, which is the worst feeling for a girl like you. Good luck selling your house here, because you can't, so why don't you just keep both to really get a feel for what financial strain is all about!
A) How is taking more of my money going to solve those problems? B) It's a myth that the majority of "no" voters want more money restored.
The majority has spoken and the voters say NO. To have had to return to the polls 5 times now is absurd. IIt is a shame because as we know, if the budget vote passed the first time, this would be all over now. Right? What does a No vote mean then? Have you asked yourself if we don't like the way the elections turn out can we try again until we get it right?? What a sham or is it a shame? 2012 is the year we reverse spending in Newtown. Agree? We can do it in Newtown and we're just about there. I do hope all of you attend a meeting at the municipal center and make your points heard. Maybe what's more important is if you ask our officials to ask us a few question for a change and listen. I'd like to know what our town government may want to learn from any one of us and I hope you might too? Over the past few years many small and large business have seen very difficult and ever changing times unlike ever before. Why should Newtown be immune to change? We learn great lessons when we find ourselves in need of change. It was Jack Welch who recently was quoted as saying "unfortunately in this great Country of ours until we hit a wall, we will find change then."
B) She doesn't want money restored she wants it cut. To much spending, taxes too high!
1. If we are to never use any money in the fund balance for operating expense, can you explain what the fund balance is for? 2. Saving over time to make major purchases is simply borrowing from the taxpayers, so it does not reduce borrowing at all.
are you delusional...? you are no longer going to vote NO because we are “wasting” too much money…. That’s one of the craziest things I have ever heard… The TOWN is wasting this money… so your saying the town should get away with this because we the people are giving up! Did everyone see that article about Hawley and how it needs $12 million of capital improvements… does everyone see what “they” just did… seems like perfect timing to announce this and scare everyone just 2 days before the revolution… they are trying to play to the parents that the schools aren’t safe so we “better” vote yes so we don’t lose any more money so we can pay for this… I am not well versed in the school closing issue but if I’m not mistaken the “smart ones” want to close the NEWEST SCHOOL and keep the OLDEST ones that cost the most money… HELLO! Wake up, why not close the old expensive one and keep the new one… Really people come on… enough is enough How do we start the process to impeach the BOS
How many ball fields do we need might be an initial question. How much use "year-round" for the cost of maintenance might be another. Beyond that, what was really so horrible with that Oakview field anyway; oh yes it sloped slightly, giving the soccer stars a false sense of accomplishment or lack thereof . It has been out of commission how many years now with its mountains of dirt??? I saw a fleet of trucks “PARKED” there again the other day. How much to the damn penny has been spent on this Sacred Cow....and I’m expected to be a good little Newtowner and support the budget....maybe no longer; after all it’s only one vote!!! If we vote "YES" can we get 10 yards of soil delivered from the "Soccer Mountain?"
I want to know the costs to date...it's gonna be a doooozie, not counting the 50K spent on the tiny little USED bulldozer