SEYMOUR – After two failed budget votes, members of the Seymour Board of Finance trimmed $536,735 from the proposed bottom line.

The board met Wednesday (May 6) at Seymour Town Hall and unanimously voted in favor of reducing the school side of the budget by $476,454 and the town side of the budget by $60,281.

The proposed town budget is now $27.5 million. That’s a 2.36 percent increase over the current budget.

The proposed school budget is $42.3 million. That’s a 2.2 percent increase over the current budget.

A revised mill rate was set at 28.64. That’s an increase of .92 mills, or 3.3 percent, over the current mill rate of 27.72 mills.

The newly-amended town and school budgets will be sent to a third referendum scheduled for 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 19 at the Seymour Community Center on Pine Street.

Under the proposed mill rate of 28.64 mills, a single-family house on Brookfield Road assessed at $436,170 would pay $401 more per year in taxes.

A house on Colony Road assessed at $268,800 would pay $247 more per year in taxes.

A house on Bungay Road assessed at $195,790 would pay $180 more per year in taxes.

Voters rejected 

Layoffs Likely In Seymour Public Schools

The school board initially requested a $1.9 million funding increase. If voters approve this budget May 19, Seymour schools will receive an increase of $926,172.

That’s just not enough money, school officials said.

“We’ve been cut to the bone,” Seymour Superintendent of Schools Susan Compton said. “We’re down to the leanest budget, and I just want to make sure that we’re going to get that (state) money back. If any catastrophes, or any unforeseen emergencies happen, I’ll send that bill down here (to town hall).”

Seymour Board of Education Chairwoman Kristen Bruno said seven first-year teachers have already been given pink slips, and more layoffs are imminent.

Seymour voters previously rejected mill rate increases of 1.53 mills and 1.27 mills. 

Officials said they were able to get the latest proposed mill rate increase to .92 mills thanks to an influx of funding ($476,454 for education) from the new state budget.

Click here to watch the full May 6 finance board meeting on YouTube.