For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
First Selectman’s Office
(860) 658-3230
Glassman Elected to CCM Leadership Post
Simsbury, Conn. First Selectman Mary A. Glassman has been elected to serve as Treasurer of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities after being nominated by the Conference’s Nominating Committee. A member of CCM since her election in 2007, she is eager to begin work on the Agenda of the Conference, strengthening municipalities all across the state. Mrs. Glassman brings extensive legislative experience to the table, as she prepares to advocate for the Conference as part of her duties. She joins Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold, President of the Conference, with various other officials to make up the slate of officers selected for the leadership of the Conference. The vote, open to the entire membership took place on June 16, at the Crowne Plaza Hartford in Cromwell.
2009 - 2010 Budget Message
On behalf of the Board of Selectmen, it is my pleasure to present the proposed 2009-2010 Board of Selectmen budget which is a total of $17,773,212 and represents a 3.05 percent decrease over last year’s adopted budget. This is a very unusual budget for an unprecedented financially difficult time for the nation, our state and the residents of Simsbury.
The state of Connecticut currently faces a deficit which is $8 billion and growing. As a result, the Town of Simsbury’s state funds are in jeopardy. We cannot count on the projected Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funds we receive from the state – which is currently $5.35 million making up 6 percent of the Town’s revenue.
In addition, the Town is also experiencing reductions in other revenues across the board – the Town’s investment income has dropped from $1.25 million to $300,000 – a staggering 76 percent decrease; other local fees and revenues have decreased a total of $80,000 – adding up to a $1.03 million decrease in revenues. This does not take into account the potential loss of ECS Funds and flat grand list growth.
On the expenditure side, the Town’s cost of doing business has gone up in nearly every category. Health care costs have increased 7.4 percent; pension costs have increased 6.3 percent and paving management costs have risen 14 percent in light of dwindling state aid to towns.
With this economic backdrop, the Board of Selectmen worked hard to propose a budget that did not result in a tax increase to our residents. This budget proposal meets that goal. But achieving this goal would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of all of the town’s 149 employees – including police officers, dispatchers, managers, highway crews, secretaries and library workers. It is because of their commitment to the Town of Simsbury and their compassion for each other that we were able to present this budget.
Additional budget information can be found here.
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