Tuesday, April 25—

Town Poised To Vote In

 Budget Referendum

By John Voket

When it comes to facing yet another town budget that represents a tax hike roughly twice the rate of inflation, newly elected Third District Councilman A. Jeffrey Capeci said he is particularly concerned about the impact on those residents on fixed incomes, and those whose salary increases barely amount to two or three percent.

But he acknowledges that the proposed 2006-2007 budget, topping out at nearly $96.3 million, represents “a lot more than salary increases.”

“For people on fixed incomes, it’s certainly an issue,” Mr Capeci told The Bee Thursday morning. “And I’ll certainly be working to find alternate revenue streams, but there is a lot of pressure on the system.”

The council member, who just completed his first budget cycle as one of Newtown’s top elected officials, pointed to rapidly increasing energy costs, escalating health insurance premiums, and the burgeoning local student population affecting Newtown schools as significant contributors to the proposed budget, which taxpayers will be voting on next Tuesday.

Town Clerk Cynthia Simon is calling all qualified voters to the annual town budget referendum to endorse or reject the proposed appropriation, which stands at $96,255,206. The referendum will be held exclusively at the Newtown Middle School gymnasium on Queen Street between the hours of 6 am and 8 pm, Tuesday, April 25.

“Any person who is a registered voter in Newtown, or who is a US citizen who is assessed at least $1,000 for real estate or motor vehicles on the 2005 Grand List…is qualified to vote,” Ms Simon stated in a release.

Anyone wishing to vote, but who will be unable to attend the polls next Tuesday can obtain an absentee ballot Friday or Monday from the town clerk during regular office hours at Edmond Town Hall, 8 am to 4:30 pm. Special hours will be in effect this Saturday only, from 9 am to noon, to distribute absentee ballots.

Voters cannot generally obtain an absentee ballot on the day of the referendum. Anyone attempting to do so in person will be directed to the middle school polling place to cast a vote.

Active service armed forces members, those facing illness or physical disability, poll workers who are engaged for the duration at the referendum, those restricted by religious tenets, or anyone who will be absent from town during all hours of the voting are eligible to cast an absentee ballot.

While comments tendered by some residents at recent budget deliberations, public hearings and even in letters to The Bee have articulated dissatisfaction with the 6.9 percent increase, Mr Capeci pointed to a $276,000 cut that was endorsed in the final minutes of the council’s last budget meeting. That money is coming from savings in the town and school systems’ health insurance premiums.

“I voted to pass [that money] back to the taxpayer because it didn’t impact the quality of education for our children,” Mr Capeci said. “That eventual action had broad support among council members [passing 10 – 2]. I think it represented a good compromise.”

Mr Capeci was referring to deliberations April 5, during which an initial proposal to cut $384,000 was eventually withdrawn.

The breakdown between the selectmen’s municipal side budget request and the school district’s side total $35,259,052 and $60,996,154 respectively. The selectmen are projecting an estimated $11,379,569 incoming from revenue in the next year, while the Board of Education is projecting revenues of $16,014,807.

After salaries and benefits, taxpayers are asked to fund debt service interest of $1,182,319 on the municipal side and $1,554,719 on the school district side of the budget proposal. Approximately 83.4 percent, or $80,240,399, is expected to be realized from tax collections locally in the coming year, with an additional $8 million from state revenue and $5.7 million from the federal government.

A $2,312,535 combined surplus is being carried into the 2006-2007 proposal. While about 28 cents of each tax dollar raised would be spent on municipal side needs, the school district will require more than 63 cents of every tax dollar generated in the coming year.