This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/30/2019 12:01 AMNext Tuesday, June 4, the polls in Killingworth will be open for you to vote on both the school budget and the town budget for fiscal year 2019-’20.
We normally deliberate and vote on the Killingworth town budget at the Annual Town Budget Meeting. This year, however, a petition was circulated that would’ve required the town to hold a referendum on the budget a few days before the second school budget referendum. To avoid the expense and inconvenience of two separate referenda, the selectmen themselves voted to send the budget to referendum, which allowed us to place the town budget on the same ballot as the revised school budget.
There are actually two town budgets on the ballot: an operating budget for fiscal year 2019-’20 of $5,321,467 and a capital budget of $1,773,655.
The operating budget, which covers the cost of running the town, is up by 1.9 percent over the current budget—less than the inflation rate. The increase is largely due to increased spending on road maintenance projects in the capital budget.
The capital budget, which covers the cost of major projects expected to start in fiscal year 2019-’20, is concentrated on road projects. Our roads are the town’s largest asset, and the selectmen are committed to protecting that investment. Since many of our roads were built several decades ago, we’re currently in the midst of a five-year program of significant repaving work to bring all of our roads up to good condition. We expect to see a dip in required paving expenses by fiscal year 2022-’23, at which time we’ll be able to address some other pressing infrastructure needs.
Also included in the capital budget are funds for the Killingworth Volunteer Fire Company, Parmelee Farm, and municipal information technology.
Note that the costs of the capital expenditures are covered by the operating budget, existing reserves, grants, and some other sources. They do not represent an additional expenditure beyond the operating budget.
Thanks to prudent fiscal planning over many years, the town has adequate funds on hand to cover emergencies that might arise and to allow us to avoid spikes in the mill rate.
The June 4 referendum will be the second on the 2019-’20 school budget. In the first, Killingworth voted 750 to 336 in favor of the proposed budget, but Haddam voted 485 to 1,147 against it, and so it failed. The Board of Education has reduced the budget by about $217,000—$160,000 in staff retirements and resignations since the first budget was proposed, and $57,000 in cuts to about a dozen various expense lines. Under this revised budget, Killingworth’s assessment is slightly lower than the current year’s.
The budgets are available in the Killingworth Town Clerk’s office, at townofkillingworth.com, and at RSD17.org. Absentee ballots are available at the Town Clerk’s Office.
Polls will be open at Killingworth Elementary School from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Earlier this week, we memorialized those who died fighting for our democracy. Please honor their sacrifice by voting next Tuesday.