New Milford’s $115 million budget continues investment in town services, schools
NEW MILFORD — Mayor Pete Bass has presented a $115 million budget proposal that he said would provide services, educate residents and protect properties within the town. Under the plan, the tax rate would increase by 2.46 percent.
“This budget provides for our continued commitment to provide services to our residents and business community, from our continued commitment to repairing our roads and bridges to our continued investment maintaining our town buildings, IT infrastructure and town equipment,” Bass said. “We also continue to invest in our workforce, which is the most important part of the municipal side of town government.”
Bass outlined his recommended town budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year at a meeting on Feb. 14. A copy of the proposal is available on the town’s website. He’s proposed a municipal budget of $44.2 million and an education budget of $71.1 million. This would lead to a tax rate of 29.15, up from a rate of 28.45 under this fiscal year’s $109.6 million budget.
For the average residential home of $222,350, homeowners would pay an additional $156 annually in taxes. For the average condo worth $104,200, owners would pay an additional $73.13 annually, according to the budget documents.
Hearings on the budget proposal were held this past week, with additional hearings scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 28, March 1 and
March 2. The Town Council will hold budget deliberations at 7 p.m. March 9.
Bass said the town continues to see revenue growth and investments that show “a vibrancy in our wonderful town and community.”
“My goal for this year’s budget is to look at all revenue streams to help offset taxes this year as well as looking at department heads’ requests for expenditures,” Bass said.
On the municipal side, budget drivers include rising health insurance costs, pension costs, contractual obligations and fuel and energy costs — among other costs, he said. Under his proposal, spending would increase 5.63 percent from the $41.8 million municipal budget voters approved last year.
Additionally, Bass said the town side of the budget covers all debt payments on town buildings, including repairs to the high school roof, repairs to over 100 miles of road that have been completed in the last five years, and repairing four town bridges last year.
Through his proposed $71.1 million school budget, Bass said the town will continue its commitment to education and the district’s
3,655 students. The former interim superintendent had recommended a $71.2 million budget that would increase spending by about 5 percent.
Bass said the town – with the use of town funds – has completed additional projects for the school district outside what went into the education budget. He said the town has paid for, among other items, an enrollment study, new band uniforms, new athletic equipment, repairs to the high school tennis court, school resource officers from the New Milford Police Department, septic work at Schaghticoke Middle School, and tree removal and pruning around the district.
Bass said the school district’s Central Office building at 50 East St. will be turned over to the town when the school administration relocates to Sarah Noble Intermediate School, which will save the district over $121,000 and add an expenditure to the municipal budget.
Bass said the town has also partnered with the school district on a $15 million energy savings project and on joint purchasing for printers and copiers.