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.
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