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West Hartford
Budget Public Hearing Tuesday
By DANIEL P. JONES
The Hartford Courant
June 25 2007, 6:13 PM EDT
WEST
HARTFORD
-- Town officials say they want to keep any possible budget reductions away
from school classroom programs, but beyond that everything is up for
discussion as the town council heads into Tuesday night's public hearing.
The council had Town Manager Jim Francis compile a list of options for
reductions in municipal services and revenue changes totaling nearly $7
million, and that list has been posted on the town's website, Mayor Scott Slifka said Monday. That figure would represent a 10
percent reduction in the town's municipal budget for next fiscal year.
"This is a list of options," the mayor said. He emphasized that it
was not a recommendation from the town manager but simply represents what the
council is reviewing.
The board of education Monday issued a separate, revised list of potential
school budget reductions in case the town council requires more cuts in the
board's spending plan. That list is posted on the school board's website.
"We are working with them to find out if they feel they have any further
non-classroom items that might be included with this," Slifka said.
Beyond trying to stay away from classroom programs, the council also has
agreed to keep away from budget changes that would harm the town's triple-A
bond rating, Slifka said.
The council will hold a public hearing Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in town hall to
hear from residents about the budget.
The hearing follows a June 12 referendum in which voters overwhelmingly
defeated the council's 2007-08 budget. That spending plan included a property
tax increase of less than 2 percent but when revaluation was factored in it
would have raised property taxes 6.6 percent for virtually all homeowners.
The revaluation last October shifted part of the tax burden from commercial
to residential properties.
"To bring the 6.6 percent number back down requires a significant
monetary reduction in the budget," the mayor said. "We're simply
trying to illustrate the challenge of getting to a number that many might
expect us to get to and to inform our residents about what comprises the
reductions from a quality of life standpoint."
The council is expected to discuss and vote on a new budget Wednesday night.
That meeting is set for 7 p.m. in town hall. The school board will meet
Thursday at 7 p.m. in town hall to make possible changes to the budget if
required by the council.
Contact Daniel P. Jones at dpjones@courant.com.
Copyright 2007, Hartford Courant
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