Ansonia’s tax board will begin its review of the city’s 2016 – 2017 budget this week with a view to passing the spending plan to the Board of Aldermen by March 7.
Last week Mayor David Cassetti proposed a budget that, if passed, would raise city spending about $652,820, or about 1 percent, but lower the mill rate from 37.52 to 37.19, about 0.9 percent.
That means a person with a house assessed at $150,000 would save about 50 bucks in property taxes if the spending plan is adopted.
The mayor’s budget would deliver by using a modest grand list bump, $2.5 million from the city’s reserves, a higher predicted tax collection rate, and higher forecasts for fees and land use permits.
The Board of Apportionment and Taxation will meet throughout the month and plans to vote on a spending plan March 7, according to a schedule posted on the city’s website.
Article continues after a copy of the budget proposal.
MAYORS-BUDGET-FY_16-17 – 2‑05 – 2016-1500-website by ValleyIndyDotOrg
A public hearing on the spending plan was held last week, but the only speaker was Second Ward Alderman Lorie Vaccaro, a close ally of Cassetti, who commended the mayor for proposing a third straight tax decrease since taking office.
The tax board’s budget meetings continue Wednesday (Feb. 17) at 6 p.m. with the Board of Education in Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall, 253 Main St.
The board is scheduled to meet with the fire marshal, fire department, and Ansonia Rescue Medical Services Feb. 22, and the police department and public works Feb. 24.
Schools
The school board has asked for a year-over-year funding increase of nearly $2 million, or 6.7 percent.
Cassetti’s plan calls for a $30,805,484 budget for the Board of Education, with a 2.5 percent, or $752,389, increase.
In proposing the budget last week, the mayor called on the school district’s employee unions to open their contracts to midterm bargaining and adopt a high-deductible health care plan with health savings accounts.
Cassetti said the move would save $600,000.
Article continues after video of the mayor speaking to the tax board.
The school board has a special meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at which a review of its budget proposal is one of three agenda items.
After the Board of Education adopted its proposal, President William Nimons, who is also the city’s comptroller, said the school board’s budget, as-is, would probably result in 6 to 8 fewer positions in the school district next year.
Nimons said he hoped to avoid layoffs through attrition, but that school officials would probably have to send out notice to teachers hired within the last two years that their positions might be cut — an annual routine in recent years.
“You (have to) let the teachers know ahead of time if there’s going to be any layoffs,” he said. “That’s just to protect the city with contracts.”
