Community Corner
Council to Vote on Mayor's Budget Wednesday
Middletown Mayor Dan Drew proposed a $137.85 million spending package on March 29.
The city's common council will consider the mayor's $137.85 million proposed budget Wednesday evening at city hall.
Property taxes would increase 3.3 percent under Middletown Mayor Dan Drew's suggested spending package, which would fund the school board at $75.55 million, an additional $3 million over last year.
"Without the cost-cutting measures I mentioned tonight and in light of the economic pressures of the state budget, we would have had a 3 mil increase in our tax rate," Drew said on March 29.
"Instead, as a result of the major cuts we've made, the dozens of positions we've eliminated, and the bipartisan policy we've made I am proposing increasing the mil rate by nine-tenths of a percent."
A mill equals $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property values.
Last year, the Republicans presented an alternate budget to the common council, which was not approved. Among the items proposed were:
- $600,000 added as a foundation for mandatory revaluation
- Office of Emergency Management received $13,929
- Adding a parks maintainer at an annually salary of $45,000
- A grants writer for half a year at $30,000
- The pension fund be funded at 100 percent
- The board of education budget be level funded
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