Mayor proposes keeping taxes level
STRATFORD — Mayor Laura Hoydick has proposed a 201920 budget that would keep local property taxes level if adopted.
The $228.2 million spending plan would increase overall spending about 3.3 percent while delivering a year-over-year increase of about 2.8 percent to the school district.
The Town Council has the ultimate say on the budget. Per the charter, the council has until May 12 to finalize a spending plan for next year.
Hoydick said the town’s grand list of taxable property grew 1.4 percent in the past year, which would allow annual spending to grow from about $220.9 million and keep the mill rate at 39.90.
Council members did not make any substantive comments on the mayor’s budget proposal during a meeting on Monday, but a budget workshop has been scheduled for March 26 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.
Public hearings have also been scheduled for April 22 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall and April 23 at 7 p.m. in the Bunnell High School auditorium.
Hoydick said the budget proposal builds on past efforts to look for savings and efficiencies in local government.
For example, she said after the meeting, the town and school district are trying to lower costs by creating a “second shift” maintenance crew to perform work while buildings and facilities aren’t being used.
“We realized some efficiencies so we could move the money around a little bit,” she said.
Hoydick told the Town Council she was “pleased to present a no-taxincrease budget to you this evening that continues to build on our efforts from last year to provide a leaner and more responsive government to our taxpayers.”
The Board of Education voted last week to request a 2.8 percent funding increase, while members noted there’s still a question mark looming over next year’s budget because of a proposal from Gov. Ned Lamont to seek funding from municipalities to finance teacher pensions.
The governor’s proposal would see the town receive about $1 million more in funding through the state Education Cost Sharing grant for 2020, but also shift about $421,000 in teacher pension payments from the state to the town.
Hoydick said the town’s costs under the plan increase to $870,716 in 2021 and and $1.3 million in 2022.
She referenced the state budget uncertainty in presenting her budget proposal Monday.
The governor’s budget proposal “gives to Stratford, but it also takes away,” the mayor said.