SEYMOUR — The Seymour Board of Finance this week approved a $65.2 million budget for fiscal year 2023 – 2024 that raises the mill rate 1.59 mills.
If the budget was approved as is, a homeowner with a house assessed at $200,000 would pay $318 more in taxes next year.
Although the finance board approved a budget, Seymour voters will have the final say. A referendum is scheduled for 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 4 at the Seymour Community Center on 20 Pine St.
People can vote yes or no on the town budget and the school budget, as they appear on the ballot as separate measures.
The budget, which was approved by the finance board on March 27, raises the mill rate from 35.59 mills to 37.18 million.
Seymour Board of Finance members unanimously approved the $26.5 million town side of the budget. The finance board members voted 5 – 2 to approve a $38.6 million budget for the Seymour Board of Education.
The budgets combined total $65,172,904. That bottom line represents an increase of $2.8 million, or 4.5 percent, from the budget currently in place.
The budget approved this week could change by the referendum date of May 4, thanks to Seymour’s unique budget process.
* The budget will next appear at an annual town budget hearing, where residents can weigh in on what’s been proposed. That hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 4 at Seymour Town Hall.
* After the hearing the finance board could make changes based on what the public has to say.
* Next, the budget is presented at the annual town budget meeting on April 20 (the time wasn’t listed on the Seymour website as of March 30 but will be posted soon).
* Then the referendum happens on May 4.
How The BOF Budget Differs From The First Selectwoman’s Budget
First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis presented her budget to the finance board in early March. Click here for a previous Valley Indy story.
The combined town and school budget the board approved by the finance board is $691,836 more than what First Selectwoman Drugonis initially proposed. Drugonis’ proposal was $2 million, or 3.3 percent over the current, $62.4 million budget.
The BOF adopted the First Selectwoman’s recommendation for the town side of the budget: $26.5 million, a $1.3 million increase over the current town budget.
Drugonis’ proposal gave the Board of Education a $37.9 million budget, or a 2.2 percent increase.
However, the finance board opted to increase the allocation. The finance board budget gives the school board a $38.7 million, or a 3.8 percent increase.
The school board had initially asked for a 7.5 percent increase, which was later reduced to about 5 percent.
The school district’s spending request for next year was then scaled back more during the board of finance review.
Superintendent of Schools Susan Compton said the school board trimmed about $516,000 from its request, which reduced the budget “ask” to 3.8 percent. That was achieved by cutting a staff position in the music department, cutting funding for three permanent building substitute teachers, and reducing funding for instructional supplies and technology.
“Any further cuts would most certainly impact educational programs,” said school business manager Salvatore A. Bucci.
Compton said she’s hopeful residents can support the budget as approved by the board of finance.
“We truly have cut the line items as much as possible, and we do not want to destroy our educational programs that we have in place for our students,” Compton said. “Any real estate agent will tell you that having a great school district is why people move to a wonderful community like Seymour.”
Drugonis said the main things driving a $1.3 million spending increase on the town side of the budget include:
* a 15 percent jump in oil and gas prices
* a 14 percent increase in the state’s Municipal Employees Retirement System
* a 10 percent hike in utilities
The budget also includes a 2.5 percent raise for all town employees, the result of a previously approved labor contract.
“I thought what I presented to the Board of Finance on March 15 was a fair budget,” Drugonis said. “I met with my department heads a third time and cut an additional $35,000. I truly feel this budget is still able to provide services to the town, allows our parks to be maintained and trash able to be picked up, while providing police, fire and emergency services to our residents. Our town is growing, and we have smaller businesses opening, and new houses and apartments are coming. This will help grow our grand list, which will help our taxes.”
The budget also includes about $50,000 to upgrade online security in light of a cybercrime the town fell prey to last year, when it was bilked out of $375,000 in a phishing scam.
Other budget highlights include $4.6 million for the police department; $2.5 million for employee health benefits; $1.9 million for public works: $1.6 million for garbage collection; $488,863 for community services (recreation/senior center); $401,990 for the town library and $349,989 for the fire department.
