The 2013 budget saw a 13-point tax increase for Ansonia taxpayers and led to the ninth highest tax rate in the entire state of Connecticut. Hard-working families and seniors were hit overnight with one of the largest property tax increases in Ansonia’s history; a devastating blow for residents already struggling to make ends meet.
As Mayor of Ansonia, Jim Della Volpe has some explaining to do. He had the ability to phase in the 13 point mill rate increase over five years. The phase-in option was offered by legislators in Hartford as a way to ease the burden on taxpayers going through a rough revaluation year.
Governor Malloy publicly stated that the tax phase-in initiative allows cities and towns to “responsibly administer revaluations in a way that blunts the negative impact those changes can have on individual taxpayers.”
Malloy further stated that “this initiative does two things: it helps local taxpayers and allows municipalities the flexibility they need to blunt the negative impact revaluation sometimes carries. While we have seen improvement in our overall economy, we must continually look for ways to mitigate the impact of the recession on Connecticut residents.”
See: http://www.governor.ct.gov/malloy/cwp/view.asp?A=4010&Q=505810
Indeed, a five-year tax phase-in would have softened the blow for taxpayers. Families and fixed-income seniors could have anticipated the mill rate increase years in advance and planned accordingly. A five-year phase-in would also have allowed the city to take measures to reduce the city budget, which could have reduced the overall increase.
Mayor Della Volpe did not give Ansonia residents the benefit of the tax increase. He did not even discuss the option with the elected officials on the Board of Aldermen, or share the option with taxpayers and residents. Instead, he made a unilateral decision to forgo the phase-in option, without explanation.
When asked to explain his decision at the debate last week, Mayor Della Volpe explained that he spoke with his finance department and decided against it. He also apparently relied on inaccurate information, as he also implied that a phase-in could increase the overall mill rate hike.
His logic is flat-out wrong. A phase-in would have allowed the city to prepare for the increase by trimming the budget, thereby lowering the overall increase!
Why did Mayor Della Volpe not disclose the five-year tax phase-in option? Is this part of the “experience” that he brings to the Mayor’s office?
At a time when taxpayers desperately needed him, Mayor Della Volpe was not there for them. In effect, he allowed taxpayers to suffer an obscene tax gouging, to the detriment of the entire city.
This is shameful and he owes an explanation to the people of Ansonia.
The writer is a Republican candidate for Alderman in the city’s Third Ward.
The Valley Indy accepts letters/guest columns of up to 500 words.
Comparing a tax increase to phasing-in a revaluation is like comparing apples to oranges. Sadly, the author misses the point.
While phasing-in the property values obtained during the recent revaluation can have an impact on the taxes a property owner pays, a “phase-in” does not change the budget. Once the amount of operating capital is determined, the mill rate is adjusted to meet the anticipated expenditures–regardless of the grand list.
The author also does not point out the fact that phasing-in the revaluation can also have a negative impact on the budget in that property owners unhappy with the revaluation also have an extended period of time to appeal their assessments in court–a very costly process for a municipality. The appeals process also raises an area of uncertainty during the budget-making process because all the assessments do not get finalized at the same time. The immediate result:cost savings. The secondary result: lower mill rates.
Historically, the phase-in was always available when the period between revaluations was ten years. The legislature, citing the costs to municipalities incurred in defending appeals and the uncertainty involved in budget making, decided to shorten the revaluation to five years and thereby eliminated the incentive for owners to appeal.
No one likes a tax increase, but let’s be fair. You have to analyze the whole problem and more importantly, the whole solution, before launching a political diatribe focusing on only small portion. I am sure that the Mayor and the budget staff carefully evaluated ALL of the criteria in coming to the conclusion that they reached about the phase-in, including the hidden costs that I did not mention.
If this is such a hotbed of controversy and being that it was so important to the public’s interest, why was there mention of it during the budget process by the Republican Aldermen?
George W. Boath, Jr.
Attorney Boath – you seem to be missing the point. The phase-in could have softened the blow for taxpayers hit with an overnight 13 mill tax increase! Are you seriously more worried about an extended process for tax appeals than you are about a family struggling to pay bills, or a senior on fixed income who likely did not anticipate paying an extra $1000+ in property taxes??
I guess that’s the “lawyers” perspective though, worried about the courts. I somehow don’t think that will satisfy the hundreds of residents stuck with the bill. I guess the Governor and state legislature would disagree with you too, seeing they allowed the reval for the benefit of struggling taxpayers. Maybe you feel Ansonia taxpayers are not struggling enough to deserve a phase-in?
And blaming the Republicans is really uncalled for. The last I checked it was the mayor who was the chief executive. Shouldn’t he have raised the issue? Wasn’t he in the best position to know, being a paid official with a full time paid staff? And you’re blaming volunteers in a minority party??
Mayor Della Volpe has blamed this tax increase on the revaluation. It’s only fair that residents learn he could have done something about revaluation. He admits that he knew about it, and admits that he did not bring it to the attention of the Board of Aldermen.
A 5 year phase-in would have helped- your mill increase this year would have been a little over 2 points, not 13!!!
Mr. King with all due respect, sir, I disagree with your analysis. This “lawyer’s” perspective tells me from experience that that ere many more costs in delaying the implementation of property revaluation than meet the untrained eye.
If you had analyzed, fully and fairly, the entire problem of taxation and the revaluation process you would have uncovered and no doubt come to the conclusion that phasing-in the revaluation does not have all the glitz and glamor that you profess. Did you look at the impact that a phase-in would have on Ansonia’s bond rating? Did you evaluate the potential negative affect on the local real estate market? Did you analyze the net cost of implementation versus the anticipated benefits to be realized?
Clearly not. I shudder to think that one could come up with the right solution without knowing fully what the problem is. If this is the best that your party has to offer, then I guess the dye is running from my wool.
Aside from a few catch phrases and some re-branded political rhetoric, I have not seen a clear, concise…let alone realistic…game plan for increasing revenues, decreasing spending or streamlining our city government that has come from the GOP camp.
I grew up in this city; I was educated in this city and I came BACK to this city to raise a family. Nothing the GOP has said or done, particularly during this election cycle, would make my children want to do the same.
If you care to discuss these matters further, I invite you to coffee as well. I will buy.
George W. Boath, Jr.
George, it seems that you are a staunch defender of this administration. You are a member of the Board of Education that has repeatedly criticized the city for poor funding and poor support. Yet at the end of the day it appears that your desire to preserve the status quo is stronger than your desire to actually make a change in the way city hall operates for the benefit of taxpayers or students.
You bristle with hostility to every suggested reform put forth by the Republican party, yet suggest none of your own. By your actions and words, it appears you must be very satisfied with the results of this 14-year administration and the direction it is taking the city in.
Simply put, I disagree with you.
A 5 year phase-in deserved to be debated in the chamber of the Board of Aldermen. The pros and cons deserved to be heard by the public before a decision was made for them. The responsibility of raising the issue was clearly with the Mayor as the chief elected official. Regardless of your opinion on whether the phase-in should have been adopted, don’t you think the issue should have been explored? Didn’t taxpayers deserve at least that much?
As for your reference to “catch phrases” and “re-branded rhetoric,” I’m honestly at a loss for words. The Ansonia Republicans have are suggesting a wide range of realistic and substantive reforms. Let’s consider the proposal to eliminate the unelected tax board and placing budgetary decisions in the hands of elected officials.
Consider that Ansonia is the only town in Connecticut where an unelected tax board makes the final decision on the budget and all budget transfers during the year. Consider that an unelected board is essentially spending money without oversight by “transferring” funds out of a “contingency” line-item during the course of the year. Consider that changing the system would allow elected officials to be accountable for spending, rather than enabling them to hide behind an unelected board when questioned by taxpayers (taxes too high) or departments (funding too low).
Also consider that the Mayor has used the tax board as a way to manipulate the Board of Education year after year, convincing you that he is in support of education and then covertly instructing the tax board to provide you one of the lowest funded districts in the state.
For all the Mayors support, has he ever publicly supported a single one of your budgets before it was passed?
Think about it George. Mayor’s in other cities and towns propose and support budgets. For 14 years, Ansonia’s Mayor has avoided all responsibility.
Your offers to buy coffee are appreciated. However, if you actually value change in this city (which I hope you do) I ask that you stop by an Ansonia Republican Town Committee meeting after this election and let them treat you.