What a difference a year makes.
The Derby tax board May 7 approved a preliminary budget for next year that includes a slight tax decrease for city taxpayers.
A final vote on the budget will happen Tuesday (May 14). The May 7 vote was the anti-climax of a drama-free budget cycle in Derby.
Last year’s budget process was a mess, with tax board members trying to finalize a spending plan that was created after a city-wide property revaluation.
In addition, the city’s finance director left amid controversy. There was also a pointed debate last year between Mayor Anthony Staffieri’s office and the former school superintendent over public school spending.
The 2013 – 2014 proposal — at $37,296,860 — would result in a tax rate of 35.34 mills. That’s a 0.16-mill reduction from the current budget.
Under the proposal, a taxpayer with a home assessed at $230,000 would pay $8,165 in taxes in 2013 – 2014, $36.80 less than this year for the same home.
The Public Speaks
Tax board members referred to Tuesday’s meeting as the “public hearing” on their proposed budget, but only three members of the public offered comments.
Derby resident Theodore Kennedy worried about the multi-million bonding projects coming up to repair school roofs and the city’s sewer system.
He asked whether a city engineer was doing any long-term planning to keep costs downs for taxpayers.
“Last year our mill rate went up by seven mills,” Kennedy said.
Click the audio below to hear the conversation:
Tax board chairman Jim Butler said the mill rate actually increased by roughly 1.9 mills when the state-mandated revaluation was taken into consideration.
“All I know is my taxes went up,” Kennedy said.
“This year you’ll see a little relief,” Butler said.
“Anything helps, especially when you’re retired,” Kennedy said.
The bonding/borrowing costs are not included in the proposed budget. Voters will be asked to approve the projects at a yet-to-be-scheduled referendum.
Derby resident Daniel Waleski commended the tax board on their hard work and bi-partisanship.
The Valley Indy complained that although tax board members referred to the meeting as a “public hearing,” the meeting’s public notice did not contain the phrase “public hearing” nor refer to the fact the meeting was the public’s chance to comment on the proposed budget.
The Valley Indy suggested using the phrase “public hearing” in a public notice might encourage more public participation.
Derby’s corporation counsel pointed out in an e‑mail the notice was proper and did not have to include “public hearing.” The tax board allows public comment at every meeting, often allowing impromptu Q&As with the public.
School Budget
The biggest change in this year’s budget cycle compared to the last three cycles — the lack of debate over school spending.
The tax board’s preliminary budget allocates $16,163,663 for the school district. That is a 1.9 percent increase over the current school budget. The only new spending for the school district is to cover raises of about 2.5 percent given in previously negotiated contracts.
The $16.1 million budget is precisely what the school board requested from the city.
School board president Kenneth Marcucio, Sr. was happy.
“(The budget process) was great,” Marcucio said. “With Dr. Conway (Derby’s first-year superintendent) and our new finance officer (Clarence Zachery), we thought we would really just ask for what we needed. We know the city is having trouble getting money, so we went with a flat offer,” Marcucio said.
Mayor Anthony Staffieri said departments heads within City Hall also offered modest budgets and that the tax board did a “phenomenal” job reviewing the requests, taking suggestions and putting together a sensible spending plan for Derby.
“Tommy Thompson, our new finance director, has been a great hire. This budget was prepared professionally and it’s worked out very well. There was great cooperation with the tax board and everyone. Derby’s one of three cities offering a mill rate decrease,” Staffieri said.
City workers are receiving raises of about 2 percent in the budget from recently-approved contracts. The workers also saw their contributions to health insurance increase under the new contracts.
The Derby police officers’ union is currently negotiating a new contract.
That police contract was the subject of an April 30 tax board executive session. The closed-door session was allowed under state law, but the tax board’s stated reason for the executive session — a generic “personnel” exception — as opposed to the specific reason (contract discussion) is questionable.
