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02/08/2022 02:16 PMBudget season is in full swing in Old Saybrook. The town has begun reviewing initial proposed budgets. Below is a rundown of important dates that interested residents should keep in mind.
Every year the town is charged with submitting a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The budgets consist of a proposed operating budget, capital improvement projects, and debt. The Board of Education prepares a similar budget separate from the town’s proposed budget and over which citizens also have control.
First Selectman Carl Fortuna told the Harbor News where the proposed budgets stand presently, but he stressed the numbers will likely change as the process continues. As of now, the proposed general government budget is $21,091,808 (up 3.31 percent) and the proposed Board of Education budget is $27,472,775 (up 2.6 percent).
“As of right now, before any action on the budget, the entire budget is up 2.91 percent. The number on the [general government] side will go down after the Board of Selectmen considers the town budget,” said Fortuna.
Fortuna sees a few areas of concern going into the budget process.
“I...have concerns about the ongoing costs of running government operations,” he said. “We have four unions and raises are built into every year of the contract, in addition to step raises that may be due. Materials are also costing more than they did a few years ago, so everything from plastic piping to paving costs more because of the inflationary environment we are in.”
Fortuna said that he has also worked to keep health insurance and electricity costs to small increases for example.
“All in all, expenditures are up but we will be able to offset a portion of the increase with some additional revenues,” said Fortuna.
The referendum is scheduled for Tuesday, May 10, but the process has several key steps that happen well before then. Lee Ann Palladino, the finance director for the town, said that the process is already well underway.
“The department budgets are due to the first selectman by Jan. 15. We have received them all and compiled the general government budget. From Jan. 15 to Tuesday, Feb. 15, the Board of Selectmen (BOS), in a joint meeting with the Board of Finance (BOF), review the compiled budgets in a series of workshops,” Palladino said.
At the workshops, each town department has its budget reviewed line item by line item. The education budget, capital budget, and debt are also all reviewed.
By Feb. 15, Palladino said that Fortuna will recommend a proposed budget that goes to the BOF for approval.
On Tuesday, March 1, the BOF will have a public hearing, after which it will deliberate on the final budget.
Once they complete their work, we will hold the annual budget hearing on Monday, May 2 to discuss the budget that will be voted on at referendum,” Palladino said.
Once the budget is sent to the public hearing, speakers can voice their opinions for or against either the education or town budget.
At the referendum, residents vote to approve or reject the proposed town and education budgets individually. Voters cast their vote for each budget separately, which means it is possible for voters to pass one budget and reject the other in the same referendum.
However, budgets in Old Saybrook are rarely a controversial matter. Last year, the town budget passed by a vote of 227 for and 15 against. The education budget passed with a vote of 229 for and 10 against.
“For the last 10 budget cycles, our budgets have been ‘steady as she goes.’ When there are increases, they are incremental. We have prevented budget spikes,” said Fortuna.