Politics & Government

Farmington Budget Passes

Only 14% of registered voters came out to the polls.

The referendum results are in and Farmington residents who came to the polls overwhelmingly endorsed the $92.02 million proposed budget for 2013-14 and all three bonding questions.

That marks a 1.87 percent mill rate increase from 21.90 to 24.07, incorporating the revaluation from this past year.

"I'm thrilled the budget and all the questions won by a 2:1 margin," Town Council Chairman Jeff Hogan said. "I'm disappointed that we had a low voter turnout."

According to the lead moderator, 1,866 voted for the budget and 607 voted against it.

Of registered voters, 14.15 percent came out to vote. In Farmington, if less than 15 percent vote, the budget automatically passes, so it would have passed anyway.

However, the bonding questions are determined by a majority vote regardless of whether the 15 percent is reached.

The road improvement bonding question garnered the most yes votes at 2,004, more than the budget question, while 466 voted against it.

A total of 1,980 supported the bonding question for a new heating system at Irving A. Robbins.

The last bonding question, which included parking lot improvements, a generator and renovated tennis courts at the middle school, got 1,603 yes votes. A total of 865 voted against it.

Hogan said that officials focused on "the continuation of services" and capital in particular when building the budget.

He said that successful refinancing of debt and the payout from the Green Performance contract initiative kept the budget increase down.


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