LEDYARD OFFICIALS REQUEST MEETING WITH GOV. MALLOY

Ledyard — After months of taking action to make up for a more than $1.5 million cut in state aid, officials have requested a meeting with the governor to discuss the town’s financial state.

On Tuesday town officials sent a letter to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy formally requesting a meeting with both him and Benjamin Barnes, secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Officials hope to discuss why Ledyard’s state revenue has been cut “so deeply,” as well as outline the town’s current fiscal standing.

Ledyard officials just want the town to be treated fairly, Town Council Chairman Linda Davis said. “We’ve tried to save and you would hope you don’t get penalized for doing that,” she said.

Signed by Davis, Mayor Fred Allyn III, Superintendent Jason Hartling and Board of Education Chairman Anthony Favry, the letter highlights the proportion of Ledyard citizens who fall below the poverty line, the town’s unique place as a host community for Foxwoods and the town’s history of being “strict” with its budget.

“The town of Ledyard knows this budget season has been particularly painful for the state Legislature and your administration,” the letter states. “As a small town, Ledyard also feels it bears an unfair burden and more than its share of revenue reductions as a result of the budget ...”

The town has looked to furlough days and cost reductions in wake of the state aid reductions. The school district has managed to find more than $750,000 in savings. But on the town government side, savings were eaten in large part by an IRS ruling that affected the payout of the town’s pension plan.

This left the town still staring down about a $750,000 deficit, and increased the likelihood the town would have to send residents a supplemental tax bill.