A property assessed at $250,000 would see taxes increases $159 next year under the 2010-2011 spending plan being considered by town officials.
The $38.6 million budget — which includes about $25.4 million for education and about $13.2 million for town operations — would increase spending in Oxford by about $1.5 million, or 4.24 percent.
The mill rate would increase slightly, to 21.07.
The Board of Finance met Wednesday and added about $105,000 to the town side of the budget.
Additions to the budget by the Finance Board included hiring a new resident trooper for $80,000, purchasing a $50,000 generator for the police department and spending $9,000 for gas meters to be used by the fire department.
Finance Board Chairwoman Lila Ferrillo said the cost of the new equipment would be offset with state grants, while other funding was adjusted from reduced line items in the budget.
“When we put the budget together we don’t just look at the bottom line, we look at the safety of the town across the board,” Ferrillo said. “Safety and welfare comes first, and then the dollars.”
The Finance Board also increased its own legal line item by $50,000.
The budgets will be voted on separately at a town wide referendum scheduled for Tuesday May, 18.
First Selectwoman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers wasn’t convinced the town needs another police officer. She said that because the town has a hybrid police department involving troopers and local officers, the town is eligible to have state troopers to cover shifts if necessary to reduce overtime costs.
“There are other possibilities and we should be taking advantage of that,” she said.
Drayton-Rogers said she hopes the Finance Board will reconsider some of its decisions based on the “struggling” economy.
“We are listening to the townspeople who tell us everyday not to increase the budget and we need to represent them,” she said.
Rose McKinnon, chairman of the Board of Education said following the meeting that the Board of Finance was responsible in their deliberations and delivered a good budget.
“I am very confident this addresses the children’s needs and will decrease class sizes,” she said.
The current education budget is $24,220,461. The proposed budget is $25,415,475 — a difference of $1,195,461.
The current town budget is $12,683,977. The proposed budget is $13,265,492 — a difference is $581,516.
A town meeting to address the budget is scheduled for May 3.
A 4.24% increase to the budget, in fact any increase, is too much at this time. The BOF needs to listen to what the citizens are saying. Cuts, not increases need to be considered in areas such as the $50,000 the BOF added to their own budget. The finance board is also in error by increasing income line items based on estimates, not on facts. They claim to be watching our tax dollars while increasing our tax payments–this doesn’t add up in my mind.
The BOF is increasing their legal budget to get ready for all the mistakes and misrepresentations they are acting upon without merit or any thought process.
Something of real merit, like the metal roof and solar panel installation for the GOMS, they condemn, so we can pay for another roof in 10 years when hopefully they’re out of office for good.