Over the last four years I’ve been able to experience the budget-setting process as a member of Derby’s Board of Apportionment and Taxation, known popularly as the tax board.
The board has 10 members, elected every two years. We meet monthly, usually on the third Monday of the month at 7 pm. But when it’s time to set the budget we start meeting a couple of times a week through April and May. The budget we create is valid for Derby’s fiscal year which runs from July 1 to June 30.
There are a few steps we follow to make sure we hold taxes down while maintaining services.
1) Each department head (e.g., police, city hall offices, etc.) is invited before our board every year to present and justify the funding they have requested. We have very good department heads who work hard to find savings and even grants to help offset costs.
2) We go line by line through the budget to make sure we understand what each expenditure is for and then allocate what’s needed for the upcoming year. We use “zero-based budgeting,” meaning we don’t simply look at each line or department and mark up a 3% increase, or reallocate expected savings to be spent somewhere else within the department.
3) Once we form a draft budget in mid-May, it is made available to the public and we have a public hearing where individuals can voice concerns over what we plan to spend. In fact, all tax board meetings are open for the public to attend. If you cannot attend evening meetings, feel free to bring questions or concerns directly to the chair of the board.
The tax board is a bipartisan board which usually votes unanimously. Because we do our due diligence and have department heads that manage their work well, we can assure residents are getting the most out of each tax dollar.
We look for savings in every department. Some examples are: public works negotiating better deals on trash pickup; City Hall making the Fourth of July fireworks show privately funded; and of course our big item this year was the institution of a self-insured medical funding plan which can save us upwards of $1 million each year. This plan was crafted at City Hall at the mayor’s request.
It is my opinion that city residents benefit when they elect experienced tax board members. We understand the ins and outs of the process and can ask deeper questions about budget allocation and savings. I strongly encourage every Derby resident to vote for our excellent team on November 8.
We are Judy Szewczyk, current chairman, Carolyn Duhaime, Nelson Cummings, Jeremy Bell, our new candidate Richard Dziekan, and myself, Mark Nichols. Be sure to include us on your ballot.
I’d also welcome discussing any of these points with you at a regularly scheduled meeting.
The writer is a Republican running for re-election to the Derby Tax Board.
Note:The Valley Indy will cease publishing guest columns by Sunday, Nov. 6. The final deadline for submissions is Saturday, Nov. 5 at 12 p.m.
Note: The Valley Indy welcomes ‘guest columns’ from those running for local office. We take each submission on a case-by-case basis. We’ll print up to two a month per candidate. We ask that the columns offer positions and solutions, as opposed to simply criticizing an opponent. We insist on a 500-word limit. If a political opponent takes issue with a guest column, responses are encouraged in our comment section. We encourage candidates to register with Facebook with your first and last name to post a response here. We will not post your responses for you.
