Polls opened at noon today in North Branford, and remain open until 8 p.m., for the town's annual Budget Referendum Question on the proposed $50.99 million town budget. As proposed, the budget would mean a mill rate percentage increase of 2.89%.

The Town Council's recommended budget was the result of workshops which cut a proposed $51.3 million town budget with a 6.9 percent mill rate increase. As it now stands, the budget brings a mill rate percentage increase of 2.89%, or 0.90 mills for a new mill rate of 31.98 mills (the current mill rate is 31.08). However, most residential property owners will likely see a decrease in taxes next year, based on revaluation notices that assessed many properties lower on the 2015 Grand List.

Residents should multiply the new 2015 assessed value (mailed in late fall 2015) to the proposed 2016-'17 mill rate of 31.98 mills; and most residential properties will find they will have a tax decrease, according to Town Finance Director Anthony Esposito.

The town's voting places are Jerome Harrison Elementary School (District 1) at 355 Foxon Road, and Stanley T. Williams Community Center (District 2) at 1332 Middletown Avenue.

Registered North Branford voters will be asked to weigh in on the Town Council's decision by voting on the question, "Shall the Town Council recommended budget of $50,998,927, which will require a mill rate of 31.98 mills, be adopted?" Voters can respond by accepting the budget, rejecting the budget as too high or rejecting it as too low.

By Town Charter, a minimum of 15 percent of the registered electorate must turn out for budget referendum voting results to be actionable by Town Council.

Read more about the budget here