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2009-10 Budget Proposal Heads To Tuesday Referendum Vote

By John Voket

Before taxpayers head to the polls Tuesday to cast their votes on the proposed 2009-2010 townwide budget, they can get an idea of exactly how much a 0.99 percent tax increase will impact their household budget.

A referendum on the following question: “Shall the sum of $103,716,694 be appropriated as the annual town budget for the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year?” is set for Tuesday, April 28, from 6 am to 8 pm, at the Newtown Middle School gymnasium. Any person who is a registered voter in the Town of Newtown or who is a US citizen who is assessed at least $1,000 for the real estate or motor vehicles on the 2008 grand list for the Town of Newtown is qualified to vote at the referendum.

The proposal, which was ratified by the Legislative Council March 26, reflects a net reduction of 1.66 percent in spending from the current year. Due to anticipated shortfalls in revenue, however, the amount required to be raised by taxation has increased, necessitating a marginal hike in the tax rate.

The breakdown between the two sides of the council’s adopted budget proposal for the next fiscal year reflects $37,401,767 in spending on the town side. This represents a 5.15 percent reduction over the current year’s spending. The school district’s portion of the overall budget stands at $66,314,928 — a 0.43 percent increase over the current year’s spending. According to Mr Tait, a tax rate of 23.43 mills on the grand list of October 1, 2008, of the Town of Newtown is needed to meet the above appropriations.

A mill represents one dollar in taxation for every $1,000 of assessed property.

If approved at the April 28 referendum, Town Finance Director Robert Tait has calculated the average property tax increase based on a home assessed at $356,957 will be about $82.10. But taxpayers can learn the extent of their tax increase if the referendum passed April 28 by visiting the municipal website, clicking on “Town Departments,” and clicking through to the assessor’s home page.

Once there, taxpayers can enter the amount of their property assessment and the proposed 23.43 mill rate to receive an estimate of their total tax bill.

To help all residents understand the impact of this year’s budget on their households, the Newtown Republican Town Committee (RTC) also offers direct access to its Property Revaluation and Tax Estimator. This property-specific tool harnesses the power of public information from the town’s finance department and presents it in a more user-friendly format than what residents might find on the municipal site, because they need to obtain their current assessment to make that department’s calculator work.

Interested residents are invited to see how their property taxes will be affected by the FY 2009 budget. The Newtown Republican Town Committee believes that informed voters will make better decisions, inviting any taxpayer regardless of political affiliation to check their calculation by visiting www.newtownrepublicans.org/taxes09.php.

Taxpayers can also view the detailed legal notice for the referendum, breaking out all expenses, revenues, debt service and other detailed points of information on town and school district financials, which is linked to a copy of this report on the newspaper’s website at newtownbee.com.

Absentee ballots are available for the referendum during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, and the town clerk’s office will have special hours on Saturday, April 25, from 9 am to noon, for the sole purpose of absentee ballot voting on the above question.

Any qualified person who meets any of the following criteria may vote by absentee ballot:

1) active service in the Armed Forces,

2) absence from the town during all the hours of voting,

3) illness,

4) physical disability,

5) religious tenets which forbid secular activity on the day of the referendum or

6) duties as a referendum official at a polling place other than your own during all the hours of voting.

As per Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 9-140 and 9-369c, for a referendum held with less than three weeks notice, absentee ballots may be obtained by applying at the town clerk’s office in person or designating one of the following to be your designee:

1) a person caring for you because of your illness, including but not limited to a licensed physician or a registered practical nurse,

2) a member of your family,

3) a police officer in the municipality in which you reside or

4) a registrar of voters or deputy registrar of voters in the municipality in which you reside. Absentee ballots can be returned in person to the town clerk by 4:30 pm Monday, April 27, or by mail or designee before the closing of the polls on referendum day, i.e., 8 pm, April 28.