The Town of Branford will operate on a budget of $112.080 million for the 2018-19 fiscal year, an annual increase of $267,396. On May 8, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) voted to adopt the new $112,080,371 budget, after making cuts totaling $106,581 from the $112.186 bottom line approved by the Board of Finance in March.

At its next meeting, currently slated for May 21, the BOF will set the new mill rate. The BOF could make adjustments; but is anticipated to approve the RTM budget-generated mill rate of 28.64 mills, an annual increase of 0.17 mills, which would equate to a 0.59 percent tax increase next year. Towns determine property taxes by multiplying a property's town-assessed value by the mill rate and dividing by 1,000. Branford's new fiscal year begins July 1, 2018.

Following the RTM budget vote on May 8, Branford First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove told Zip06/The Sound this budget continues a fiscally responsible focus to delivers programs and services while being sensitive to taxpayers.

"I think with this budget, certainly we were able to continue that mission, and with a minimal increase," said Cosgrove.

Cosgrove said Branford also continues to plan for the future by funding capital expenditures and by funding future liability.

"I think what often gets lost is we're leaving this town in good shape for future generations," Cosgrove said. "I think through this budget, as in the past, we continue to be responsible. That's what you see here – responsible budgeting."

He noted Branford also demonstrated responsible budgeting last year, when the state budget crisis had towns pivoting to respond to increasingly alarming reports of gaps and cuts.

Last year, Branford's mill rate jumped by 1.06 mills and taxes increased by 3.85 percent, with fully 2.35 percent earmarked for state budget impacts. Planning to pay for some of the state increases with tax-generated revenue helped Branford protect its AAA bond rating. But the town also acted to protect taxpayers, especially in late May of 2017, after the governor proposed increasing Branford's anticipated $2.7 million state cuts and costs by another $2.2 million. When setting the new mill rate on May 30, 2017, the BOF, acting on advice from Finance Director Jim Finch, increased the potential for general fund borrowing by another $3.6 million. That gave the town a possible general fund drawn down of as much as $6.4 million, if needed, to provide additional revenue to respond to state budget impacts. Without it, Branford taxpayers would have experienced a 7.64 tax increase last year.

"Last year, we were facing many challenges with the state and came up with a plan to address that, therefore we weren't impacted by it," said Cosgrove.

THE 2018-19 RTM BUDGET PROCESS

In considering final adjustments to the BOF's recommended $112,186,952 budget forwarded to the RTM in April, RTM committees met with town departments and the school district to assess expenditure requests for operating and capital budgets.

On May 8, with 28 RTM members in attendance, the RTM voted 27-1 to pass the $57,262,843 school budget recommended by the BOF, with no changes made.

The RTM made some changes to the Town Government side of the budget to generate the $106,581 RTM reduction put forward on May 8, ultimately voting 23 - 5 to adopt the town government's $54,817,528 bottom line.

The RTM made the cuts by reducing the Contingency budget by $76,955; reducing Police overtime by $20,000 and reducing the James Blackstone Memorial Library budget by $9,851. The RTM also voted to reduce Branford Counseling Center's 2018-19 salary and wages budget by $37,775 in order to transfer $37,000 to increase the town's Information Technology (IT) repairs and maintenance budget. The RTM also approved transfering another $1,000 toward IT hardware expenses.

The RTM's most intense debate of the night involved the RTM Education Committee's recommended cut to the Blackstone Library's $1.418 million budget. Originally, the committee had voted 4-3 to decrease the Blackstone budget by a total of $19,703, after scrutinizing contract costs and bills, explained committee chair Frank Twohill (R, District).

As with many public libraries in the state, the Blackstone is overseen by a combination of its Board of Trustees and the town. The Blackstone contracts outside of town services for maintenance such as snow removal.

Earlier this year, the RTM approved bonding $5.2 million for interior renovation and exterior expansion (rear entrance) of the library. Of that amount, $1 million will be reimbursed by a state grant and $800,000 will be paid by funds through the Trustee's Campaign for the Blackstone.

Noting the town pays 86.4 percent of the cost to operate the Blackstone, "...what the RTM wants to do is scrutinize the bills, scrutinize the contracts and possible if they can do it, costs would be cut," said Twohill.

Following Twohill's committee report, Education Committee member Ed Prete (R, District 6) requested the RTM support an amendment to restore half of the cut, returning $9,852 to the Blackstone's bottom line.  Prete said the request was based on a discussion with RTM member Robin Sandler (R, District 7), who also serves with the Blackstone Trustees. Sandler reached out to Prete following the committee vote. Prete said that discussion led to a better understanding of some of the costs being reviewed.

RTM Education committee member Peter Jackson (D, District 3) who had voted against the cut in committee on April 12, responded to Prete's proposed amendment on May 8 by suggesting the RTM should instead restore the entire amount cut from the Blackstone's bottom line. 

Jackson also voiced concerns the Blackstone was being held to a different standard with its bills being scrutinized, unlike other town departments."

"It seemed that only the Blackstone Library was being singled out, and so that was the reason for the three votes against," in committee, said Jackson. Committee members Maryanne Hall (D, District 5) and Robin Comey  (D, District 3) also voted against the cut on April 12. In addition to Twohill and Prete, other Education committee members voting in favor of the cut on April 12 were Darren Lawler (R, District 4) and George Wells (R, District 1).

Jackson also said he didn't like the "deal" he said was being cut to restore half the funds.

"I still don't like it and I think all the money should be restored; unless we would like to go through the police department, the fire department and all the administrative departments to see how their [bills] are coming out," said Jackson.

RTM member Marc Riccio (R District 6) responded with information from the Town Charter (Section 2, Part F) regarding the RTM having the power to decrease, increase or add items to the budget.

"Basically what [its] saying is we have the right to question, we have the right to ask for invoices," said Riccio to Jackson. "I think your statement is unfair; and I commend Representative Prete for asking such questions. We have a responsibility to make sure that things are being spent properly."

By a show of hands, the RTM recorded a majority vote approving the reduction of $9,851 from the Blackstone budget, for revised annual library budget of $1,409,095.