Ansonia residents may get the opportunity to vote on whether they should vote on the city’s budget.
The Charter Revision Commission on Tuesday voted 5 – 4 to recommend a change to the city’s governing document mandating budget referendums whenever the Board of Apportionment and Taxation passes a spending plan carrying an increase of 1.5 percent or more from the previous year.
The move came after a parade of residents at a public hearing told the commission that taxes are too high and people can no longer afford to live in the city.
Currently, the Board of Apportionment and Taxation, an appointed body, has the final say on the budget.
Will This Ever Happen?
Several steps still remain to get the measure on the ballot.
Aldermen scheduled a public hearing on the changes proposed Tuesday for Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. in City Hall.
After that hearing takes place, the Aldermen can either reject the changes, approve them, or send them back to the Charter Revision Commission for further revision.
Charter Revision Commission Chairman John Marini said any proposed changes have to be approved by Aldermen by Sept. 5 in order to make it onto the November election ballot.
The Valley Indy recorded Wednesday’s meeting in its entirety.
Click the play button below to listen — the public hearing lasts roughly a half-hour, after which the commission’s special meeting lasts another half-hour. Article continues afterward.
Tuesday’s vote was not the first time the commission took up the referendum idea.
The key vote Tuesday was cast by unaffiliated member William Luneski, who voted against the proposal last month and said after Tuesday’s meeting he was initially leery of the idea because he felt the 1.5 percent figure was arbitrary.
He said he decided to cast a yes vote after hearing from so many residents who want a referendum and with the caveat added to the referendum recommendation that the 1.5 percent figure “be examined closely” by Aldermen.
Commission member Lorie Vaccaro, a Republican candidate for Second Ward Alderman, asked to revive the idea at Tuesday’s meeting, saying the pleas from the public Tuesday couldn’t be ignored.
Commission member Elizabeth Lynch, a Democratic candidate for Town Clerk, said the process could prove costly — referendums cost about $10,000 apiece — especially if voters reject one budget proposal after another.
Marini said that between referendums, the tax board could revise the budget downward until the year-over-year increase is less than 1.5 percent, and thereby avoid the need for referendum after referendum.
David Knapp, a commission member and incumbent Democratic Seventh Ward Alderman, said that he sympathized with those who spoke in favor of having budget referendums Tuesday, but that the commission “ran out of time to do it justice.”
“I don’t think there’s anybody sitting up here on this commission that doesn’t feel for the public’s input tonight,” he said. “I hear them loud and clear.
“I don’t think there’s anybody on the commission that’s against it,” Knapp went on, saying the matter could be considered by a future charter revision commission. “I just don’t think we’re prepared to put it on this referendum.”
“We are prepared,” countered Patrick Henri, a Republican candidate for Alderman in the Sixth Ward. “We have it written out. We just have to say yes and it’s on the list. People want it, we’ve got it written up, let’s do it.”
After the meeting Marini said the referendum idea was “a rock solid proposal. It needs to be passed.”
Marini characterized the measure as a “responsible referendum,” pointing out it would be triggered only when the tax board sets a budget that carries an increase of 1.5 percent or more.
“It’s not a typical referendum that goes to the ballot every time,” Marini said.
Other Recommendations
The commission made four other recommendations in the draft report it adopted Tuesday:
- The city wants to increase the current dollar threshold — from $5,000 to $25,000 — that forces the city to request sealed bids and take out legal notices requesting sealed bids.
- A measure allowing the city to post abbreviated legal notices in newspapers, and referring people to the city’s website for complete information.
- An attendance policy for boards and commissions that says if a person on one misses three consecutive meetings, they are considered to have resigned.
- A request for the charter revision to be re-initiated immediately so that further changes to the city’s budget process can be considered.
Click here for a previous story detailing those changes.
Mayor Weighs In
On the last recommendation, Mayor James Della Volpe said Wednesday he hopes the charter revision process continues.
“I would like to see it go further, especially if we don’t take care of all the issues that were presented last night,” Della Volpe said.
The mayor said he hasn’t made up his mind on the issue of budget referendums.
“I’ll have to get back to you on that one,” he said. “I heard what people had to say last night and I’ve heard our commission, I want to hear what the Board (of Aldermen) has to say.”
The mayor said the current budget, which carried with it a tax hike that took the mill rate to 39.34, was caused by a loss in educational grants and a property revaluation in a stagnant economy. The city’s grand list dropped as well.
“For 13 years, we’ve had very reasonable budgets. This year, we hit the perfect storm,” Della Volpe said. “That’s the first time in my 14 years that I’ve ever seen a jump like that. And I understand how families are struggling, and we’re trying to do our best.”
