2010-2011 Budget
On behalf of the Board, I would like to wish everyone a very healthy and happy New Year!!
BUDGET PREPARATION INFORMATION:
The Board of Selectmen, at a Special Meeting held earlier this evening, reviewed the budget constraints that the Town and Board of Education will be facing next year when putting together the 2010-2011 Town budget. I would like to share with our residents the enormous challenges facing the Town of Simsbury as we work to prepare next year’s budget:
• Due to the stock market taking a major plunge, our Pension Plan assets currently total $30.9 million compared to $39.1 million a year ago. Therefore the Town must make up some of the difference to keep our plan up to date. This will mean an increase of $285,455.
• State of CT deficits will certainly hit hard on the State’s funding of local governments. How much that number will be is unknown at this time. The latest proposal from the Governor would have meant a loss of revenue between $600,000 and $800,000 in this fiscal year. That proposal was rejected by the legislature.
• The grand list growth will be zero, due to a decrease in the personal property and motor vehicle lists. This will mean no additional dollars of revenues to assist us in balancing next year’s budget.
• We are projecting a 10% increase in health insurance.
• An increase of $16,847 in funding for post employment benefits.
• All employee wage scales expire June 30, 2010, and our employees graciously agreed to a wage freeze last year, but we are unsure at this time, where wages will settle out for the year.
• If the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance and I decide to keep the tax rate the same, this would mean we would need to decrease the Town side of the budget by $750,000, without any reduction in staff. This could mean the reduction of services for our taxpayers, in order to keep taxes level.
• We welcome your input into this process and if you have any thoughts on how to reduce the budget, please call Bonnie Therrien, Acting Director of Administrative Services or myself at (860) 658-3230. Meeting dates for the budget are as follows:
Monday, January 25, 2010 – 5 pm – Selectmen Workshop
Saturday, January 30, 2010 – 9 am – 4 pm – Selectmen Workshop
Not later than February 15, 2010 – First Selectmen presents the Town budget to the Board of Finance
Not later than March 15, 2010 – Board of Education presents its budget to the Boards of Selectmen and Finance
Not later than March 22, 2010 – Board of Selectmen presents its budget to the Board of Finance
Not later than April 8th – Board of Finance holds at least one public hearing on the budget at Simsbury High School at 7:30 PM
May 4th – Annual Town Meeting – Simsbury High School – 7:30 PM, followed by an automatic referendum between 14 and 21 days after the Town Meeting.
2010 TAXES NOW DUE:
The Tax Department has been very busy taking in payments for the second half of taxes due on both Real Estate and Personal Property. Supplemental Motor Vehicles are also now due. The last day to pay without a penalty is February, 1, 2010 and postmarks of that date will be accepted. Taxpayers may come into Town Hall to pay their taxes, mail them in, or if paying by credit card, visit our web site.
LAND USE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES:
Attached please find an update of major projects being worked on by the Land Use Department.
ENGINEERING:
• The State Office of Policy and Management has notified us that the Energy Conservation grant submitted for replacing exterior and interior lighting with energy efficient fixtures has been approved in the amount of $93,007.
• The Town has received their final payment from the State, in the amount of $50,000, for the renovations and the addition to the Library. The final documentation to close out this grant was submitted earlier this year.
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