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Proposed Budget Heads to Referendum on May 12

Following a public hearing on April 21, the Board of Finance has voted to approve Madison’s proposed budget of $77,794,313 with no changes and send it forward to referendum.

“It was a slim turnout. There were very few questions, and mostly statements of support on the budget from a number of people,” said First Selectman Fillmore McPherson. “Several people spoke in favor of the education budget, and a number spoke in favor of the initiative for maintenance of our parks and grounds.”

Residents will have the opportunity to approve or deny both the town and Board of Education budgets at the budget referendum on Tuesday, May 12. If either budget is voted down, it must be decreased.

While the vote is binding no matter how many voters turn out to the polls, McPherson is hoping for a better turnout than last year’s 7.6 percent of more than 13,000 registered voters.

“The turnout [for the budget referendum] is usually pretty low, but single digits—good lord, that’s appalling,” said McPherson. “It does not speak well for democracy when you have that low a turnout.”

McPherson noted that voting in the budget referendum is a very quick process and even if residents agree with the budget, it is important to make their votes count.

“The rule of thumb is that people who don’t like it will always come out to vote ‘No,’” said McPherson. “You don’t want to be surprised in a bad way that because you didn’t bother to vote, a measure doesn’t pass.”

Charter Revision

Prior to hearing comments and questions on the budget, there was a public hearing on the proposed charter revisions with a presentation by the Charter Review Commission (CRC). McPherson said there were very few questions and comments after the presentation.

Now, according to state law, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) has 15 days to make any suggestions for changes to the CRC. The BOS will meet three times for discussions throughout that timeframe.

“I’d be surprised if we don’t vote to say, ‘Let’s look at this, this, and this’,” said McPherson.

The CRC has 30 days to consider the BOS’s recommendations and return with revisions. The BOS will then make a decision. With the BOS’s approval, there will be another public hearing on the final proposed charter and then it is anticipated to be on the ballot at the November general election.