Derby’s Board of Apportionment and Taxation had a short evening Tuesday, finalizing a 2013 – 2014 budget for the city that includes a tax decrease.
The tax board spent less than 20 minutes in voting to approve the $37,296,860 million spending plan for the next fiscal year.
The board also voted to set the tax rate at 35.34 mills, a reduction of 0.16 mill.
Those figures remain unchanged from a preliminary budget the board approved last week.
Under the proposal, a taxpayer with a home assessed at $230,000 would pay $8,165 in taxes in 2013 – 2014, roughly $37 less than this year for the same home.
Board Chairman Jim Butler said the board tried to give the departments what they needed to operate.
“There isn’t a lot of fat in it. We’re going to have to watch the spending as the year (continues),” he said. “We believe it’s a solid budget.”
The budget includes a $16,163,663 million outlay for the Derby Board of Education, a 1.9 percent increase over the current school spending plan.
Unlike previous budget cycles, there was not much debate on school spending during this budget season.
The only new spending for the school district is to cover raises of about 2.5 percent given in previously negotiated contracts.
Click here to read more about the school budget from a previous story.
Other highlights include a $3.49 million for the Derby Police Department, which is a slight cut from this year, Butler said, and $460,000 for the Derby Public Library.
Click here to read more about the police budget from a previous story.
Daniel Waleski was the only resident who spoke during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting, and praised the tax board, as he did last week, for passing a plan that addresses difficult financial times.
“You have reflected the fact that the country is in a serious recession. Costs are rising, unemployment is at high levels (and) businesses and homeowners must be watchful of their expenses,” Waleski said. “This budget represents some of these concerns as well as many others.”
Mayor Anthony Staffieri said he was pleased with the final spending package, saying all the departments gave up something to get it done.
“A great job by all,” Staffieri said. “We’re one of a few cities in the state that’s reducing our mill rate.”
Butler added that referendum votes to pay for roof repairs at three Derby Public Schools buildings and to address the city sewer system will not affect next year’s budget.
Click here to read more about the referendum plans.
If approved, he said, the debt payments associated with paying off that bonding would likely begin to be reflected in the 2014 – 2015 spending plan.
Details of the debt incurred if the referendum were approved would be outlined at a yet-to-be-scheduled joint meeting of the tax board and the city’s aldermen.
