The Town Council unanimously voted March 2 to send a proposed combined budget of $59,706,741 (a $1,326, 978 or 2.27 percent increase) to a public hearing on Wednesday, April 6.

The proposed town budget is $21,917,505 (a $564,758 or 2.64 percent increase) and the proposed education budget is $37,789,236 (a $642,220 or 1.73 percent increase).

Last month, Town Manager Karl Kilduff had presented to the Town Council his initial proposed budget, which was slightly higher. At the meeting on March 2, the council approved removing $120,000 from the proposed town budget increase.

Kilduff explained that $100,000 in cuts came from a new firehouse that was meant to be included in next year’s capital budget not this fiscal year’s, and a reduction of $20,000 came from the professional services line in the planning and zoning budget.

While spending increases under this proposed budget, the tax rate would only increase 0.67 percent. Kilduff explained that the difference between the budget increase and the tax rate is due to growth in the Grand List and the appropriation of money in the fund balance to pay for capital projects.

Under the proposed budget, the mill rate would increase 0.20 mills or 0.67 percent to 30.10 mills. Kilduff said that this would increase the average Clinton taxpayer’s annual bill by $43.68.

Earlier this year, Kilduff explained that the town would appropriate $250,000 from the fund balance to reduce the tax rate increase as well as an applied fund balance of $1,345,000 to fund significant capital projects. Growth in the fund balance allows the town to use the fund this way, Kilduff explained at the time.

Though both the town and education budgets comprise the total budget, when voters get to approve or deny the budget at a referendum in May, they will vote on the town and education budgets separately. While the proposed budgets are now sent to a public hearing, there is still a chance for the proposed budgets to change.

The public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6 at 6 p.m.

Immediately following the budget public hearing the council will meet and could once again alter the proposed budget before the public hearing.

“This is not the end of the budget conversations,” Town Council Chair Chris Aniskovich said during the March 2 meeting.

At the public hearing, speakers can voice their opinions for or against either the education or town budget. Immediately following the public hearing, the Town Council will hold a special meeting at which it can make any last changes to either the education or town budget before sending the budget to referendum in May.

At the referendum residents vote to approve or reject the proposed town and education budgets individually. Since voters cast their vote for each budget separately, that means it is possible for voters to pass one budget and reject the other in the same referendum.

If one or both of the budgets fail, it is revised by the Town Council immediately following the vote. Another public hearing is held the following week and another referendum is held the week after the public hearing.

The Harbor News/Zip06.com will have more in-depth looks at the proposed budgets later this month.