Cassetti defends budget, slight tax increase
ANSONIA — Taxes will increase slightly for the 2019-20 fiscal year under a new city budget adopted this week.
The Board of Aldermen approved by a vote of 8-3 a $56.6 million budget Thursday. Aldermen Charlie Stowe, Phil Tripp and Richard Kaslaitis cast the dissenting votes. Stowe said he couldn’t support a tax increase, no matter how small.
The budget represents an increase of $242,483, and carries a 0.48-mill increase, bringing the tax rate to 37.80 mills. On average, that translates to a tax increase of $75 next year for a homeowner with a house assessed at $150,000.
Mayor David Cassetti had said raising taxes is not something he wanted to do, and it’s the first time since he took office that taxes will be going up. Cassetti attributed the increase, in part, to rising health insurance costs and “unfunded state mandates” regarding education cost sharing funds.
“Nobody likes tax increases, but remember that this 0.48-mill increase leaves the tax rate still lower than it was when Mayor Cassetti first took office,” said Corporation Counsel John Marini. “It is also the first rate increase in six years. Not many other cities in Connecticut can say that.”
Cassetti said the budget supports vital city services, including education. He vowed to continue to pursue sharing more services with neighboring Derby to keep costs down, and services the same for residents. He did say sacrifices were made in the budget, including giving up his raise and some other painful cuts by his administration and some givebacks. But Cassetti was pleased that no drastic cuts in services, or closing any buildings or reducing hours, were made in this budget.
“My aldermen and I have spent the last five-and-a-half years stabilizing the budget, building the grand list, balancing the tax structure, improving our community with new roads and moving forward with economic development and grants,” Cassetti said. “In that time, we have increased Board of Education funding by $4 million. I am proud of our accomplishments, but there is a lot more to be done. This budget represents the need to continue to seek ways to regionalize and look for additional cost-sharing opportunities. We have to be able to afford all of the necessary city services and continue to look for ways to avoid burdening our taxpayers. Government should never get to a point where its residents are unable to afford it. The next phase of my plan will involve our aldermen forming a committee to work with Derby to make the necessary changes needed to maintain a stable tax structure.”
Some of the budget highlights include $32.2 million for the Board of Education; $6.6 million for the Police Department; $4.3 million for public works; $848,408 for emergency services; and $503,728 for the library. The school board initially requested $37.7 million for next year.
“This is a fiscally responsible budget for the best interest of the city, long term,” said aldermanic President Lorie Vaccaro. “It is a lean budget, a very lean budget, which trims the fat. The mill rate is still lower than six years ago.”
The approved budget can be viewed in its entirety at http://www.cityofansonia.com.
jean.sos@snet.net