Without guidance on COVID funds, New Fairfield Board of Finance postpones budget discussion

Two weeks ago, the finance board held off on the markups — not only to see if any updates came in regarding the federal funding, but to give residents a final opportunity to weigh in on the proposed $58.3 million spending plan.

NEW FAIRFIELD — With no further guidance on COVID relief money, the Board of Finance decided Wednesday night to once again postpone recommending a 2021-22 budget.

The new date for the board’s final markup of the proposed school and town budgets is May 12.

Two weeks ago, the finance board held off on the markups — not only to see if any updates came in regarding the federal funding, but to give residents a final opportunity to weigh in on the proposed $58.3 million spending plan.

There may not have been further grant guidance, but the finance board did receive feedback from several residents — most of whom are discontent with the fact that the proposed spending would raise the town’s mill rate by 3.66 percent.

One resident living at The Woods at Dunham Pond said continued tax increases will drive her and her husband to leave town.

“Connecticut and the town are taxing us to death, and we cannot continue to throw money into town projects that we will not be utilizing,” she wrote in a letter to the finance board. “We are all for good schools, but at what cost to low-income seniors?”

The $45.4 million proposed school operating budget reflects a nearly 4 percent year-overyear increase, while the nearly $12.9 million municipal operating budget reflects roughly 4.9 percent increase. If approved as is, the combined budget would raise the town’s mill rate to about 31.7.

A Possum Drive resident, who grew up in New Fairfield and has been raising her family in town, said she doesn’t believe the increases are acceptable given all that’s happened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While there is wealth in this town, it is not true for the majority,” she wrote in a letter to the finance board. “I just think now is not the time to ask citizens to give more when they can barely get by.”

Fire Chief Bruce Taylor also provided feedback, saying that many people in town are “still recovering from last year” and he believes a small increase is what taxpayers will tolerate.

“I fully understand the obligation for the school project, but a proposed 3.66 percent (mill rate) increase to me is unacceptable,” he wrote in a letter to the board.

With the feedback, Board of Finance members spent most of their Wednesday meeting discussing ways to reduce the town’s projected 2021-22 mill rate increase, with many agreeing that it should be below 3 percent.

“Given where we currently are with COVID and people’s loss of jobs and everything else, I personally believe that anything above 2.81 percent is not acceptable,” finance board member Terry Friedman said. “I don't even know if 2.81 would be accepted by the town, just based upon the feedback and the environment.”

Finance board member Anthony Yorio said he would like to see the mill rate increase be “as close as possible” to that of the debt service: 2.81 percent.

“We have to find a way to get there, and I think it’s (going to take) a lot of loose change from a lot of different places,” he said.

Yorio said he doesn't believe the town will be able to use federal COVID relief money to reduce its 2021-22 operating budget.

“What that money seems to be eligible for use is in capital projects,” he said. “When they talk about the fact that you can’t offset or defer tax increases — what they’re basically saying is you cannot use that for your operating budget unless (it’s) COVID attributable. I think that’s the guidance we’re going to see.”

With no further cuts to the school and town operating budgets, it would take about $431,000 to bring the 2021-22 mill rate increase down to 2.81 percent, according to Finance Director Ed Sbordone.

First Selectman Pat Del Monaco said New Fairfield’s COVID relief allocation is at least

$1.4 million, and further guidance on how the federal grant money can be spent is expected to come by May 11.

Board of Finance Chair Wes Marsh said if there is still no further guidance by its May 12 meeting — or if the federal funding can’t be used to lower the mill rate increase — then the board will have to figure out a way to reduce the mill rate increase.

Following the final budget markup, the Board of Selectmen will schedule a town meeting — likely for the following week — on the recommended budget, Marsh said.

If the town meeting adjourns to a referendum, he said, taxpayers would get to vote on the

2021-22 spending plan sometime in early June.

“If we get (the mill rate increase) under 3 percent and the right message comes out ... I will be very disappointed if it fails,” Marsh said.