Despite a stronger than usual showing at the polls on May 9, with the majority voting against the proposed budget, North Branford will adopt the Town Council's recommended $50,558,303 budget, representing a 4.7 percent tax hike for the 2017-'18 fiscal year. The budget's 1.5 mill increase will bump North Branford's mill rate up to 33.51 mills.

The $50.55 million budget came to the annual referendum question vote today and brought out 863 residents  -- nearly double the number voting in 2016 -- to the polls. Of that number, 750 voted against the $50.55 million town budget as too high.  Despite the message voters sent today, total voter turnout of 8.9 percent still fell short of the Town Charter requirement of 15 percent minimum voter turnout at the referendum question vote for the results of to be actionable by the Town Council. In 2016, 4.6% of the electorate came out.

Once the Town Council adopts the budget, it will be implemented for the new fiscal year which begins July 1, 2017 and ends June 30, 2018.