Town Democrats are lobbying to send the town’s proposed $3.14 million capital plan directly to voters — untouched, unedited and unfiltered by members of the Finance Board.
“Put it out to the public, get it to the voters,” said Steven Kulas, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee.
A capital plan is a list of expensive projects the town wants to fund. The plans usually prioritize the projects looking forward several years.
The Board of Selectmen formulates the plan, then send it to the Board of Finance, where changes can be made before the plan is sent to voters for final approval.
In Seymour, the majority of the Finance Board are Republicans, while four of seven members of the Board of Selectmen are Democrat.
First Selectman Paul Roy, a Democrat, said the capital plan is solid and doesn’t need to be tweaked.
“Let the taxpayers decide if the plan is a good one,” Roy said. “I believe it is because it addresses all the issues that have not been dealt with over the last few years.”
However, it’s not likely the Board of Finance will simply turn a blind eye to the capital plan just because local Dems think they should.
“This needs to be discussed, because the town will be paying for it down the road. It would be irresponsible to put it through without studying it and discussing it,” said Peter Jezierny, a Republican finance board member.
The capital plan includes $1.4 million for a number of improvements to emergency services equipment, including apparatus for Citizens Engine Co. No. 2 and the Great Hill Hose Co.
The capital plans includes everything from new equipment for fire houses, bleachers for Seymour High School and vehicles for the public works department.
Click here to read a previous story on the capital plan.
Roy said these improvements are needed, and could be purchased by municipal bond issues, which is a town’s way of borrowing money.
The rates would be low, Roy said.
“We cannot afford to not take advantage of this opportunity,” Roy said.
