Critic says proposed Stratford tax cut hurts residents
STRATFORD — In every year of Mayor Laura Hoydick’s administration, the town’s property tax rate has declined — albeit slightly — from 39.97 when she took office to the current 39.64 mills.
Recently the mayor proposed another slight decrease.
But Greg Cann, a Democrat who represents the 5th District on the Town Council, charged the town with using “financial chicanery” in the form of long-term borrowing and relying on one-time revenue — including $4.7 million in state COVID-19 funding — to mask the fact that the town’s tax base isn’t growing as quickly as its spending.
Cann also questioned why the town still hasn’t released its annual audit, which was due at the end of last year and is already more than two months late — or a review of accounts prompted by the death of the town’s finance director last year.
“What issues were discovered during the audit, and why have they not been publicly disclosed?” Cann asked.
Hoydick said Tuesday she wants to be as transparent as possible.
“It’s very frustrating,” she said of the delay completing the audit. “It’s not something that is optimal for us.”
The mayor said she had delayed recording a state of the town address “because I wanted to get the CAFR (comprehensive annual financial report) and quote what was in it and I can’t. But it’s coming soon.”
Michael Downes, the mayor’s chief of staff, said that the audit has been delayed because the firm doing it had COVID-19 infections among its staff and lost several weeks of work because of it.
He said that “this year has been unusual compared to others owing to the pandemic. While we managed a grand list increase this year, it is lower than in previous years — directly related to the pandemic. Many regional towns are increasing taxes, yet the mayor has put forth a responsible budget that doesn’t further increase the burden on working residents and families.”
Stratford was one of 79 municipalities throughout the state to request extensions to complete audits, according to Chris McClure, spokesman for the state’s Office for Policy and Management, which oversees municipal audits.
The town first sought an extension last November before filing for additional extensions in January and February.
The annual audit is separate from another review of the Board of Education’s books that is also in the process of being finalized, according to officials.
The Town Council has the ultimate say on the budget and per the town charter has until May 12 to finalize a spending plan for next year.
Last year, the Town Council approved a roughly $233.4 million budget that lowered the mill rate slightly but resulted in higher tax bills for most residents because of a state-mandated real estate revaluation.
After Hoydick released her budget proposal recently, Hearst Connecticut Media reached out to all 10 Town Council members for reaction.
Cann — one of three Democrats who voted against the budget passed last year — was the only one to level any criticism.
He said Hoydick and Repulicans on the council are painting a rosy picture of the town’s finances that doesn’t match reality.
He said the town has been violating its charter by borrowing money to fund its operating expenditures and overloading the town with debt in the process.
“The town cannot truly move forward while it continues to rely on borrowing and handouts,” he said. “The town needs organic growth, from within, by actualizing its opportunities and realizing its potential.”
Downes said Hoydick and her administration are well aware the town has a lot of debt — because a lot of it was there already when she took office. He said Cann is citing outdated data that doesn’t reflect recent refinancing efforts.
“Taxpayers should be aware that several councils ago, the Town Council voted to close the pension debt and bond the cost,” Downes said. “This has resulted in a higher debt level but it will have a natural conclusion.”
“The mayor has always recognized that Stratford’s level of debt has been high and it has been a priority for her to address it,” he added. “That is why we have restructured debt over the past three years and capitalized on lower interest rates to refinance at lower rates saving taxpayers millions.”
Republicans, who hold a majority on the council and have brushed off similar complaints from Cann and Democrats in the past, lauded the mayor’s leadership.
Laura Dancho, R-10, said Hoydick “continues to come though on her promise to keep Stratford affordable and remain a desirable place to live and work.
“With the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic and the issues that presented over the past year, our grand list continues to grow and our residents will not see any reduction in the services we are accustomed to,” Dancho said. “Additionally, responsibly funding the contractual obligations of the Board of Education was a priority. I look forward to working with the rest of the council over the next few weeks to carefully look at the budget proposal to determine if there are any areas to readdress.”
Bill O’Brien, R-9, echoed Dancho’s sentiments, saying he is “especially happy to see another decrease in the mill rate after the challenges of 2020.
“Stratford is a great town with very good services and many people working hard to make it even better,” he said. “This is my home until the day that I die and we must keep it affordable. I look forward to the budget workshops to see if any tweaking can find more savings.”
Former Council Chairman Jim Connor, R-8, said the mayor “has been a steady hand the last four years” by holding the line on taxes.
“Stratford’s long-term turnaround from the loss of manufacturing jobs has begun with the best days ahead,” Connor said.