Despite close questioning by board member Jeffrey Torrant Tuesday evening, the Board of Finance moved to approve as presented an $8,427,157 budget for 2025-26. It will be sent to a public hearing April 29 at 7:00 p.m. at Botelle School.
The budget includes $4,467,294 for educational spending at Botelle Elementary and Northwestern Regional School #7, as well as a $3,959,863 budget for town government. When reduced by $150,000 from the town’s surplus funds, the amount to be raised through taxes is $8,277,157, an increase of $260,848 (3.15 percent) over current spending.
If townspeople vote to approve the budget at the town meeting in May, the mill rate will be 22.59, down from 28.40 this year, largely because of an increase in property values following last year’s revaluation.
Torrant questioned the pay increases for Town Hall employees and wondered if a position could be cut in the Department of Public Works.
He particularly objected to the $40,000 allocated toward City Meadow, saying townspeople had been assured that tax monies would never be asked for its maintenance despite its being town land.
First Selectman Matt Riiska assured him that significant funds have been donated over the years by people who envision City Meadow as a pleasant addition to the town center. “This is the first year the town has been asked to put money into it,” he said. “You have to maintain what has been done.”
In other business finance chairman Michael Sconyers asked the board members their feelings about asking tax exempt entities such as the churches and Yale to make contributions in lieu of taxes. “They may be tax exempt, but they still use our services,” he said.
Additionally, he suggested the formation of a fire district that could tax its citizens directly to offset some of the expenses of emergency services.