Oxford Finance Board Trims $250,000 Off School Request

The Oxford Board of Finance on Tuesday trimmed a little more from the 2012 – 2013 budget that will be presented to residents at a town meeting May 7.

The finance board discussed the school budget request for about 40 minutes before voting to reduce the amount requested by the Board of Education by $250,000.

Finance board members had voted last week to trim $154,000 from the schools budget. Board member Richard Burke proposed $250,000 instead Tuesday, saying such a plan would more likely be approved by Oxford voters.

I think you’ve got a better chance of having it pass with that kind of a cut,” Burke said, before adding that the schools are expecting a year-end surplus and will still receive a year-over-year increase in funding.

The budget now stands at a total of $40,689,464, but residents will vote on it as three separate pieces at referendum May 15:

  • $26,548,247 in school spending, an increase of $609,101, or 2.3 percent.
  • $13,407,217 for town operations, an increase of $26,501, or a 0.2 percent.
  • $734,000 in one-time spending to repair several roads in town.

If approved, the mill rate would go from 23.21 to 24.10, an increase of .89 mills, or 3.82 percent. On a house assessed at $250,000, that means property taxes would go from $5,802.50 to $6,025.

Lila Ferrillo, the chair of the finance board, said the schools should be able to live with” the proposed budget.

They’re going to have to get their people out to pass this budget,” she said.

First Selectman George Temple attended the meeting and noted that the current school administration has been more transparent and efficient than in years past.

It seems to me like for that activity, they’re almost being punished,” Temple said.

We’re not penalizing them,” Ferrillo shot back, saying her board just wants the budget to pass when it goes to referendum, instead of it being rejected and necessitating more cuts.

If we make this small adjustment we have a better shot of passing this budget to the people,” Ferrillo said. If we don’t, this budget is going to come back and bite us, and then that adjustment is going to be a lot greater than it is.”

Burke, Ferrillo, Tom Kelly, and Jack Kiley voted for Burke’s motion. Bob DeBisschop voted against it.

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