SEYMOUR — Members of the Seymour Board of Finance are scheduled to vote May 26 on a $58 million 2020 – 2021 budget.
Traditionally voters have the ultimate say on Seymour town and school budgets.
The COVID-19 pandemic — and the social distancing measures aimed at slowing down virus transmission — altered this year’s budget process, with Gov. Ned Lamont issuing an executive order allowing towns to cancel public budget votes.
Seymour’s proposed budget keeps the mill rate flat (36 mills) for the fifth year in a row. It carries a 1.2 percent increase in spending, and uses about $228,000 from reserves to help keep the mill rate stable.
The school district is set to receive 34.6 million, a 1.5 increase from the current school budget (the school board had requested 3.5 percent). The town side of the budget totals about $23.4 million.
The Board of Finance hosted a public hearing on the proposed spending plan online Tuesday using the Zoom video conferencing platform. Any comments from the public were to be read into the record.
The audio from the meeting is embedded below.
The Board of Finance received two comments, including an email from long-time school board member Fred Stanek.
Stanek urged the Board of Finance to cut spending, citing the bleak U.S. economic outlook.
“The Town of Seymour should impose a spending freeze to eliminate the purchase of new vehicles, curtail capital projects, and not fill open positions,” Stanek wrote in his email. “The current crisis should dictate that the Board of Finance needs to substantially reduce spending during the next fiscal year, and, accordingly, the tax burden on the people of the Town of Seymour.”
Stanek suggested the finance board cut taxes, not just keep the tax rate flat.
Seymour Board of Finance member Paul Wetowitz also suggested the board look for items to cut from the budget, such as a position in Seymour Town Hall, or reducing the school board allocation.
Resident Steve Muricchio submitted a written comment saying that any money being saved because of social distancing guidelines should be given back to taxpayers. He noted transportation costs for the school district, field maintenance, and utility costs are likely much less than last year because no one is in school, riding school buses or playing on athletic fields.
Seymour Finance Board Chairman Bill Sawicki said reducing the budget as presented would mean cutting service such as sanitation, police, fire, and public works.
First Selectman Miller said he spoke to a ratings agency Tuesday afternoon who questioned why Seymour hasn’t been raising taxes. Ratings agency see modest tax increases as a sign of stability. Miller further explained that ratings agencies are suggesting towns resist the urge to slash budgets now in order to be better prepared for the bad times ahead.
