For the second consecutive year Clinton will hold a third budget referendum after the proposed town and education budgets were rejected by voters at the second referendum on May 23. Voters rejected the proposed town budget of $18,185,249 by vote of 1,678 to 1,599 and rejected a proposed Education budget of $35,674,055 by 1,672 to 1,602. The overall budget was $53,859,304, a $1,931,162 or 3.72 increase over last year’s total budget.

With 3,282 casting votes, the referendum had a 33 percent voter turnout rate, slightly lower than in the first referendum.

Following the failure of the budgets, the Board of Finance (BOF) held a special meeting at which the board cut the proposed town budget by $100,000 (roughly one-half percent) and the proposed education budget by $150,000 (about 0.4 percent).

With these cuts, the new proposed town budget is $18,085,249, an increase of $577,559 or 3.30 percent over current spending, and the proposed education budget is $35,524,055, an increase of $1,103,603 or 3.21 percent. The total proposed budget is $53,609,304, an increase of $1,681,162 or 3.24 percent increase over last year’s budget.

There will be a public hearing at Town Hall on Wednesday, May 30 at 7 p.m. and a third referendum at Town Hall from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6.

First Selectman Christine Goupil said the mill rate that would result from this latest budget is 30.57, an increase of 0.66 mills or 2.2 percent.

“I hope our tax base looks at what the real tax increase is to their budget,” Goupil said. “Compared to surrounding towns, that’s not a very big increase.”

Goupil contends that the failing budgets send a negative message about development in Clinton. Goupil recently rescheduled a meeting between a developer and a financier, for instance.

“I couldn’t have them driving around town and seeing all the ‘No’ signs,” she said. “We need to start investing in development in this town.”

Superintendent of Schools Maryann O’Donnell was also distressed by the budget failure.

“Clearly it’s very disappointing and disheartening,” O’Donnell said. “We have some really difficult work ahead of us and there are no easy options,”

Board of Finance Chair John Olsen said failure of the budget means that cuts to staffing is probable.

“You’re going to have to lay off people. These are things people have to understand,” Olsen said.

Clinton held three budget referendums in 2017, however the second referendum was successful for last year’s education budget. This is the ninth time since 2009 that the town failed to pass both referendums on the first ballot. The town spends between $3,000 and $4,000 per referendum according to the Town Clerk’s office.