May 8, 2008
$356 million town budget up for vote
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The Representative Town Meeting (RTM) will vote Monday to approve a town general fund of $356 million for 2008-09. Of that, $39 million is proposed for capital projects, including $2.1 million for the renovation of Greenwich High School’s auditorium and music classroom space.
The proposed budget, which includes $125 million for the Board of Education, represents a 4.7% decrease from last year’s $373-million budgeted general fund. This year’s proposed capital expenditure total is 46% lower than last year’s, which reflects town departments’ ability to defer planned projects to future years, said a message to the Board of Estimate and Taxation from its budget committee.
In addition to the high school project, other proposed capital projects include $7.2 million worth of radiator and pipe replacement within the school district, and $2.4 million in school site work and playground equipment. Also, $1.2 million has been budgeted for town’s the new public safety complex project.
While most budgeted departmental expenses remained below a 5% increase over last year’s numbers, Greenwich Emergency Medical Services showed the biggest jump, with a proposed budget of $3.3 million compared to last year’s $3 million.
Fixed charges, which include the town’s $6.6-million pension plan contribution and its $37-million health care line item, will increase 7.26%.
The town finance board approved the proposed budget, which also includes $50,000 its members added to the Department of Social Services budget, at its March 19 meeting. The added money is for the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut, an agency that requested money from the town through its external entities program, which Social Services oversees. The Board of Selectmen had cut the funding when it reviewed the proposal earlier this year.
The proposed budget includes a mill rate increase of 3.5% from last year, bringing the rate to 8.035. This means, for example, if a property is assessed at $700,000, the owner’s taxes would increase $190.40, from $5,434.10 to $5,624.50. Those in the town’s sewer district will also pay a sewer improvement fund mill rate of 0.065 and a sewer maintenance fund mill rate of 0.338.
Fiscal 2008-09 will be the ninth consecutive year for which the rate of increase in the mill rate has been 3.5% or less.
The RTM will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at Central Middle School.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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