Both the 2025-26 municipal and education budgets, as well as five proposed capital projects, all passed at referendum on April 22.

The municipal budget passed 2,479 to 1,777; the education budget margin was thinner but still passed, 1,838 to 1,748.

Advisory questions on whether the town budget should be higher if the budget failed went 1,266 "yes" to 2,932 "no;" the advisory question on whether the education budget should be higher if the budget vote failed went 2,432 "yes" to 1,858 "no."

This year’s proposed budget is $49,866,665 for the town and $91,744,644 for the schools, for an overall bottom line of $141,611,309. The budgets include a 6.72% tax increase, as well as a 28.78 mill rate, a 1.81 increase from last year.

For the capital projects:

A $4,600,000 special appropriation and $4,600,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of HVAC upgrades, replacements, and improvements at Cyrenius H. Booth Library passed 2,780 to 1,481.

A $4,300,000 special appropriation and $4,300,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, construction, reconstruction, remediation and replacement to the A, B, and C wings of the Newtown High School roof passed 2,941 to 1,320.

A $1,524,000 special appropriation and $1,524,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of the Newtown Community Center Pool HVAC unit passed 2,254 to 1,997.

A $1,000,000 special appropriation and $1,000,000 bond authorization for the Bridge Replacement Program passed 3,020 to 1,217.

An $855,000 special appropriation and $855,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, renovation and upgrades to Edmond Town Hall passed 2,770 to 1,490.

Turnout was 4,287 total votes out of 18,310 eligible voters, a 23.4% turnout. This marks yet another year of continuing turnout, and the passage of all the questions making this year a "one and done" ended the town having multi-referendum years before it became a streak, at only one.

Last year, 2024, ended a 10-year streak of one and done budget votes that went from 2014 to 2023. However, it also saw increased voter engagement — the education budget went down for the first time in 11 years. 1,701 No votes to 1,194 Yes votes, with a 15.1% turnout. In May, it passed 2075 Yes votes to 1198 No votes, with a turnout of 17.4%.

In 2023, Newtown had a turnout of approximately 8.8 percent, the first year of increased participation after years of waning participation, especially following the COVID pandemic. In 2022, participation was only 7.7 percent; in 2021, the turnout was 8.98 percent; in 2020, there was no budget referendum due to the pandemic; in 2019, turnout was 17 percent; in 2018, turnout was 15.7 percent; and in 2017, turnout was 19.9 percent.

See this week's print edition for reaction from town officials.

Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.