Budget Fails By 327 Votes

With just 27 percent voter turnout, the budget referendum failed Thursday, meaning the Town Council will be back at the table tonight to make more cuts.

Of Farmington’s 16,849 registered voters, 4,671 went to the polls to vote on the town’s proposed $87.6 million budget for 2011-12. Final count was 2,172 'yes' votes and 2,499 'no.' The referendum was defeated by 327 votes. The turnout is lower than in the past two years, Town Council Chairman Mike Clark said.

“Of course we’re disappointed,” Clark said for the small group of council and Board of Education members gathered in the town clerk’s office Thursday night. “It’s always really disappointing when there’s 30 percent turnout. Basically 15 percent of the population is deciding the budget.”

At three of the four precincts, there were more 'no' votes, with a 'yes' vote in the majority at the Farmington Library. The largest margin was at Irving A Robbins.

According to the town charter, now that the budget has failed, the Town Council must make cuts and present the decreased budget for public review at a second town meeting.

“Tomorrow night we meet and we’re going to get back to work on a budget that hopefully meets the needs of the citizens,” Clark said. “We’re going to have to make cuts that mean the loss of some services.”

The second town meeting will be held Monday, May 9 at 7 p.m. at . Residents are invited to learn about the revised budget, comment on it and if there are more than 300 voters, to make changes to it - either increases or decreases. The annual town meeting held April 25 drew 121 voters.

A second referendum on the revised budget will be held May 19 at the regular polling places. It the budget fails a second time, the council must then meet and adopt a still-lower budget.

Tonight's meeting will be at 5 p.m. in the Council Chambers at .