Taxes Up 3.3 Percent in Mayor's $137.9M Budget Request

Editor's note: Mayor Drew will release the entire budget including line items on Monday.

Property taxes would increase 3.3 percent under the $137.85 million budget proposed by the mayor Thursday — a spending package that 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," Middletown Mayor Dan Drew told those gathered in city hall council chambers.

"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.

Council Minority Leader Phil Pessina introduced Drew, saying he was honored to be chosen. A spirit of collaboration, Pessina said, in which "we drop our party coats at the door and get the city's business done," is the only way to move the city forward.

Drew's financial plan would increase the average homeowner's taxes by $2.85 a week. This 2013-14 fiscal package includes a hiring freeze "for all but critical positions."

His priorities this year, Drew said, are fully funding the senior services, downtown events like the 4th of July fireworks and Holiday on Main, the arts, and economic development projects.

The board of education this year asked for $5 million additional funds from the city, Drew said, only $1.6 million of which is required by the state. He has proposed a list of savings that could translate to a savings of $2.2 million, according to the mayor, including "renegotiating energy service agreements, changing the funding of interventionists, revamping the hiring of substitute teachers" and other measures.

In addition to $3 million in extra funding from the city, Drew said, the board will also receive $800,000 from the state of Connecticut, "an increase of 4.14 percent or two and a half times the rate of inflation," which "represents a commitment to making our very good school district extraordinary without placing an undue burden on our taxpayers."

Last year, the $132.6 million spending package raised taxes slightly less than a mill — by 3.1 percent — and the school board received $72.55 million.

In 2011, the city's $130.2 million budget lowered taxes 1.1 percent and approved $70.6 million for Middletown schools.

Related stories

• No New Taxes: Mayor's Proposed Budget of $130.15M
• Middletown council approves $130.2 million budget
• GOP Caucus Presents Alternate Budget to Dems
• Tax Rate Up 1 Mill in Mayor's Proposed $132.3M Budget

Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter. Sign up now for daily and breaking newsletters or send us a news tip.