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REFERENDUM:
Tuesday vote could raise taxes 3.5%
May 12, 2008
Taxpayers will decide the fate of the $45-million town budget and $77-million school budget when they vote in the town budget referendum tomorrow Tuesday, May 13.
They will also be voting on approximately $8.7 million of new building projects and equipment purchases, including the much-debated $4.25-million renovation and expansion of the police station.
If the budget passes as recommended, voters will see their taxes increase 3.5% on average next year.
Next year’s town and school budgets total $121.9 million — up $5.6 million. For a house assessed at $560,00 — based on a market value of about $800,000 — taxes would rise $386 from $10,937 this year to $11,323 next year, Town Controller Jay Wahlberg said.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town’s usual three voting places: District I will vote at East Ridge Middle School; District II will vote at Scotts Ridge Middle School; and District III will vote at the Yanity Gymnasium.
Absentee ballots are available in the town clerk’s office at town hall today Monday, May 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The voter turnout for the budget referendums of the last two years have been very light — 18.6% of the electorate voted in the 2006 referendum, and 18.7% voted in the 2007 election. First Selectman Rudy Marconi said he hoped for a better showing this year.
Question One: Town
Eight questions are on the ballot, and the first asks whether to approve the $44.8-million town operating budget.
That figure includes $14-million of debt service on the town’s total debt of $112 million. In 2001, Ridgefield borrowed $90.5 million for a “bundle” of school building projects and the recreation center. The town is paying off the debt at a rate of approximately $8 million annually, First Selectman Rudy Marconi said.
The town budget is $1.5 million more than last year’s budget, which Mr. Marconi said is mostly due to contractual salary increases and rising utility costs. The town’s fuel cost rose $143,120 last year. Town salaries rose $584,616.
There are two new part-time employees in the town budget: An assistant in the first selectman’s office and an addition to the fire inspector’s hours to make that position full time. Mr. Marconi said the additional money the fire inspector would generate from increased fees would “at least offset” the cost of making that position full time.
Question Two: Schools
Question two asks voters to approve the proposed $76.7-million school budget, which is up $4 million, a 5.54% increase over this year’s budget. The percentage increase is the lowest in a decade, School Superintendent Deborah Low said.
Three quarters of the increase is due to salaries and employee benefits, she said. The number of ‘certified staff’ of teachers and administrators with education degrees will drop from 462 to 459, she said, while the non-certified staff — paraprofessionals, secretaries and custodians — would increase by a net of 3.5 positions from 227.5 to 231.
Two of the non-certified positions are state mandated nurses at the town’s two private schools, Ridgefield Academy and St. Mary’s. Another 2.5 positions are for the return of more math paraprofessionals to the elementary schools. The schools anticipate a reduction of one special education paraprofessional next year.
Board of Education Chairman Keith Miller said the school board had worked hard to keep this year’s budget “affordable.”
“We appreciate that any increase represents an increased sacrifice of the community,” he said. “However, we believe such sacrifice is justified to support school excellence. Since much of the budget increase is fixed by long term contracts, these initiatives are funded from reductions in curriculum writing and books, equipment leases, staff reduction due to lower enrollment and assertive budget projections.
Question three: Hodgepodge
The third question on the ballot asks voters to approve $304,000 for a hodgepodge of town purchases and projects to be paid for by next year’s taxes.
“These are capital projects that were approve to be funded through the general fund rather than going out for bonding: They consist of computer replacements and network upgrades for $100,000, $40,000 for the townwide GIS mapping program, $22,000 for major maintenance at the Parks and Recreation center, $29,000 for a Ford pick-up truck at Parks and Recreation, $93,000 to buy three cruisers and lease one unmarked car in the police department, $10,000 for school door replacements and $10,000 for a loader lease to maintain school grounds,” Mr. Wahlberg said.
The last five questions on the ballot ask voters to approve $8 million for a variety of projects which would be paid for by bonding. If they are approved, they will not impact next year’s budget, but for a house assessed at $560,000, they would add about $90 in taxes annually beginning in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, Mr. Wahlberg said.
Question Four: Renovations, roof
Question four asks for $826,000 “for various town building and improvement projects.” It includes $90,000 to renovate the third floor of town hall — the finance and first selectman’s offices — which are “the last piece” of a multi-year project to spruce up town hall, Mr. Marconi said.
It also includes $100,000 for a “preliminary engineering fund” used for surveys and engineering studies, Mr. Wahlberg said, and $10,000 for window replacements at the police station garage.
Finally, question four includes $626,000 for a new roof at the Venus building, which houses the school board, VNA, and other offices.
Question Five: Roadwork
Question five addresses town road and infrastructure improvements, budgeted at $1,234,000. That figure includes $800,000 for road paving, $200,000 for drainage work, $40,000 for guardrail replacements, $25,000 for improvements to Lake Mamanasco, $35,000 for tree replacements, $15,000 for safety improvements to the parks and $24,000 for dry hydrant repairs, Mr. Wahlberg said.
It also includes $95,000 for stadium lights at Tiger Hollow. Mr. Marconi said the stadium lighting project costs approximately $400,000, but “the rest of the project will be in-kind, and when you get that kind of contribution, you like to take advantage of it.”
Question Six: Big trucks
Question six asks for $445,000 for two new town vehicles: $280,000 for a replacement of a tanker at the Fire Department, and $165,500 for a Highway Department dump truck.
“Tanker 10 is a 23-year-old manual transmission 3,600 gallon tanker,” Fire Chief Heather Burford said. “It is due for replacement.” The plan is to sell the old tanker and use that money toward the replacement cost — the $280,000 in the coming year’s budget is “net of trade,” Mr. Wahlberg said.
Question Seven: School work
Question Seven includes $1,280,600 of bonding projects for the schools. Included in that is $420,000 for heating and plant work, most of which will be for a new boiler at the Branchville Elementary School. The school projects also include $100,000 for a joint town and school study of energy consumption and possible savings, $52,000 for freezer replacements, $324,000 for the continuation of the school’s asbestos removal program, $41,000 for improvements to school grounds, $175,000 to fix cracks in the Barlow Mountain swimming pool, $18,600 for school maintenance equipment and $150,000 for school security additions.
Question Eight: Police station
The final question on the ballot asks voters to approve $4.25 million for an addition and renovation at the police station (
see video at top of Press home page).
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