Budget Facts You Need to Know

One of the most attended meetings of the year is the annual Town Council Budget Hearing. As you prepare for the annual meeting, Patch will give you Five Things you need to know about the current proposal.

Budget Proposal Currently Stands at $125.2 Million –

After careful consideration and a month of workshops, the Board of Finance made a recommendation fro a $125.2 million budget in late March which the Town Council will need to give final approval for.

The budget represents a $1.6 million increase over the town’s current operating budget and is a $2.1 million reduction from the original proposal presented by Town Manager Garrison C. Brumback in early February.
 
Operating Budget Increase at 4.2 Percent, Board of Education Just 0.39 Percent –

If the council were to approve the recommended proposal, the budget now proposed would represent a 1.29 percent increase over the current fiscal year's budget, with the town’s general operating budget increasing by 4.2 percent and the Board of Education budget increasing by just .39 percent.

Although the Board of Education will receive just a small increase, the town was able to reduce funding needs by $1.16 million thanks in part to a one-time federal jobs grant. Due to this, a $1.24 million reduction amounts to just an $80,000 reduction in requested funding for the Board of Education.

Anticipated Effect in Tax Increases–

The Board of Finance recommendation, if approved as presented by the Southington Town Council, would increase the tax rate by 0.3 mills. So what’s that mean for you?

Currently, the proposed budget as presented by the Board of Finance would lead to a tax increase of $30 for a home assessed at $100,000 or $90 for a home assessed at $300,000.

It’s All Available Online –

The town’s webpage, www.southington.org, provides residents with access to important documents including full, printable versions of the town’s annual budgets.

For more information, visit the Southington town website today or simply click the link here to go directly to the budget presented by the Board of Finance.

Today is Your Chance to Speak Out on the Budget –

Have a comment or suggestion for the Town Council before they approve the budget? Make your voice heard tonight as the council holds their annual budget hearing.

The meeting is open to the public and all Southington taxpayers are encouraged to attend and express their opinions said Council Chairman Edward Pocock III. The hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at DePaolo Middle School.