Politics & Government

Montville Council Puts off Finalizing Budget

State's Budget Uncertainty Prompts the Move

The Montville Town Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to put off  final recommendations on the town’s 2011-2012 budget until the state’s budget is finalized.

The vote came after a meeting that was filled with contention from members of the public and the council alike. Click to read that story.

The governor has proposed a budget, and it has been accepted by the state House and Senate, but could be altered by “implementer” bills that include union votes on concessions the governor wants. If the unions vote against the concessions, the budget would be altered.

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That alteration could have a significant effect on the town. At the very start of the meeting, Mayor Joe Jaskiewicz discussed some alterations that had been made to the budget, in the town's favor. An error in the town's favor dropped the proposed .84 mill increase to a .75 mill increase. If the town received $214,000 from the state for local property tax relief, Jaskiewicz said, the proposed mill rate increase would drop to .60 over the current rate.

Councilor Candy Buebendorf brought the motion to delay, saying that even if all of the unions agree, “we are still left with a $400 million deficit that needs to be made up.”

Find out what's happening in Montvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

If any of the unions don’t agree to that, she said, the deficit could be higher. There is no telling how that will affect the town.

“I don’t think we should be adopting our budget tonight,” she said. “I think it would be imprudent and irresponsible.”

Vice Chairman Ellen Hillman broached the idea of doing work that would not be eradicated, like fixing some errors and typographical issues; earlier in the meeting the council had voted to correct some of these that Hillman had found.

In the end, the council chose to put off finalizing the budget.

Town Planner Marcia Vlaun spoke in the public comment session at the end of the meeting, pointing out to the council that the vote that they had taken – to delay finalizing the budget until the state had its budget in place – concerned her.

“The legislature has passed a budget,” she said. “I am concerned that the motion you made has no meaning, since the state legislature has passed a budget. I think the motion does not mean what the council think it means.”

 

 

 

 

 


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