Politics & Government

Council Tables Budget Targets

Town Council members decide to hold off on setting a goal for the budget to get more information from the Board of Education.

The Town Council put off setting budget targets Tuesday night until the group could hear and consider information from the Board of Education.

The targets are set each year at the beginning of the budget process to help the town manager and Board of Education in formulating their budgets. The number is generally a percent increase over the previous year’s budget that the council believes is appropriate, given the economic climate.

Town Manager Kathy Eagen told the council that it would be difficult but services on the town side could be maintained with a 2 percent increase.

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Democrats John Vibert and Mike Demicco wanted equivalent information for the Board of Education before setting a target.

“I can’t agree with setting a budget target that way,” Vibert said. “Before I would agree on any target, I would like to hear the projection to maintain current services.”

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Patty Stoddard, who served on the Board of Education before being elected to the council, said the board doesn’t set its budget in the same way the town does.

“They don’t really try to maintain what they have in one fiscal year but project what they need [for the next],” Stoddard said.

That number is affected by projected student enrollment from year to year, Stoddard explained.

“We provide third-grade education,” Vibert responded. “That’s a service we provide. They have an estimate of third graders so they can estimate how much it will cost to provide third-grade education… just as we project how much it will cost to plow snow if we have an increased number of roads.”

“This year will be very different for the Board of Ed because we have the teachers salaries at zero,” said Nancy Nickerson, who also previously served on the Board of Education. “What was needed in the past [for percent increase] certainly won’t be needed this year — not to say there won’t be other costs but …I would think this year would be a much better year for the Board of Ed.”

New council chairman Jeff Hogan agreed the teachers contract agreement provides the town with an opportunity.

“We have an opportunity this year for some savings and… to potentially do some additional capital funding. Our job as the chief financial authority of the town is to make sure we have roads and keep our buildings up,” Hogan said.

He also mentioned property revaluations, which would take effect in two years and could potentially shift the tax burden away from commercial property owners toward residents.

During public comment, Harry Kraiza, president of the Farmington Taxpayer Association, warned the council to start preparing for the impact of revaluation now.

“You have to start in this upcoming budget year to mitigate that significant problem by not allowing increases in the Board of Education budget or the town manager’s budget,” Kraiza said, urging them to keep spending flat.

Charlie Keniston, the only one to put forth a figure, suggested a 2.7 percent budget increase.

“I think we’ve got to gradually smooth the way the next two to three years for this revaluation. I don’t want to see a big one-year spike, that in my opinion would be unacceptable,” he said.

CJ Thomas added that the council must keep in mind what the taxpayers are able to pay and to put forward a budget that will pass.

The council will likely discuss the budget targets again at its next meeting, scheduled for Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Town Council chambers.


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