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The real story about Ledyard's budget
"Ledyard's budget process was particularly challenging this year, partly due to a surge of misinformation. Republican elected officials and the Republican Town Committee chose to politicize this nonpartisan process by blaming Democrats and state-level policies for the lack of revenue. For the last 20-plus years, Republicans have had the majority on the town council, board of education and the mayor’s office. During this time, they have failed to expand the tax base meaningfully. Instead of working with Democrats to find the best solution, they chose to misinform the voters about the real causes of the situation, leaving many of them frustrated with the continued need for a mill rate increase. The rise in mill rate is the result of years of stagnant growth of the town's Grand List, combined with state laws that took effect this year and reduced property tax revenue. These laws include a well-deserved full tax exemption for veterans who are 100% permanently and totally disabled, and a change on motor vehicle revaluations. The town council received from the mayor a budget with a 3.1 mill rate increase. After correcting wrong revenue figures, and making several changes to the budget, the town council reduced the mill rate increase to 2.76. This budget was rejected by voters. The council cut $233,819 from the general government operational and capital expenses, $160,000 from the BOE operational budget and $260,000 from BOE capital requests. These cuts brought down the mill rate increase to 1.99. This budget was also again rejected at referendum. The Town Charter requires that the town council finalize a budget by June 23 if it fails twice at referendum. At the meeting of June 18, the council adopted a final budget of $70,364,977, which included cuts of $232,263 to general government, $205,000 to the BOE operational budget and $260,000 of BOE capital requests. We’ve had mill rate increases ranging from 0.10 in 2022-23 to 1.49 in 2016-17, and 1.75 in both 2014-15 and 2018-19. Except for 2020-21 and 2021-22, when the mill rate went down due to property revaluations, every single year since Fiscal Year 2015 we’ve had mill rate increases, paired with cuts in services. Services cut include reductions in library services, reduction of hours at the transfer station, closing of the Ledyard Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), closing of the Social Services department, and reduction in ambulance services. This year, Republicans wanted to cut an additional $500,000 from the BOE — when we have the lowest-funded school system per pupil in Southeastern Connecticut. Ledyard has a significant revenue problem. To ameliorate this, Democrats on the town council applied for a grant of approximately $230,000 through Congressional-directed spending funds to replace much needed police equipment. We applied and were approved for a STEAP grant to replace several playscapes in town that are in dire need of repairs and represent a safety issue for our children. This grant saves $892,000-plus of taxpayer money. Overall, Democrats have worked to bring more than $1 million in revenue in the last year and a half, while Republicans in Town Council have brought in $0. We understand how this mill rate increase affects many residents who are struggling. We can’t continue doing the same things done in the past 20 years. We need and will continue to advocate for state aid and build on our successful work seeking grants. We intend to use every means at our disposal to stimulate rapid, responsible Grand List growth to break the cycle of the last 20 years of Republican administrations steadily rising tax bills built upon rising property assessments that barely keep the town and schools functioning. Ledyard residents deserve the most responsible and realistic budget we can deliver. We will not mislead residents about what can and can't be done. We owe our tax-paying residents a quality school system for the taxes they pay here. Carmen Garcia-Irizarry is a Democratic member of the Ledyard Town Council." Read this article at The Day CT Comments are closed.
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