Thursday, April 25, 2019
www.berlincitizen.com
Volume 22, Number 10
Berlin council adopts anti-toll resolution By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
Voting along party lines, the Town Council voiced its opposition to tolls on state highways.
Berlin Mayor Mark Kaczynski, right, said “… whatever programs (parents) fear they’re | File photo losing, they need to go to the Board of Ed and lobby.”
Budget headed to referendum By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
say when the $44.5 million school and $45.6 million municipal budgets go to A group of parents of local referendum on Tuesday, students are hoping to April 30. The budgets call convince residents to reject for a combined $2.2 milthe proposed school budlion increase in spending. get, saying cuts made by The corresponding mill the Town Council and rate increase of 1.36 mills Board of Finance go too would bring the rate to deep. 33.86 mills, a $238 increase “I am very concerned in taxes on a home asabout where the direction sessed at $175,000. is heading and that’s why Mongillo is part of the Parthis group of parents got ents’ Advisory Council, a together,” said Imelda group of around 30 parents Mongillo, who has two children in Berlin schools. who volunteer to give their input to Superintendent Residents will have their Brian Benigni. The group
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is concerned about reductions from the Board of Education’s original budget request. Mongillo said the board’s request, which called for a $2.6 million increase, reasonable and allowed the district to recover from years of underfunding. The current proposal, following reductions from the finance board and Town Council, would be a $900,000 increase over the current year. School officials warn the budget isn’t enough to covSee Budget, A4
"Most people in our town, in my opinion, don't want tolls … that's where I think this resolution is important," Republican Councilor Alex Giannone said during the Tuesday, April 16 meeting The resolution says the implementation of tolls would divert traffic to local roads, impacting safety and property values, while forcing the town to spend more on road maintenance. “The Town Council of the Town of Berlin is opposed to the imposition of tolls and urges the Governor and its elected representatives in the General Assembly to oppose any measure that would impose tolls as an additional burden on the Berlin taxpayers,” the resolution says. The council’s three Democrats voiced their opposition, calling the resolution premature given the lack of a concrete plan for tolls before the state legislature. They also criticized the Republican trans-
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portation plan Prioritize Progress, which would utilize borrowing to pay for highway repairs. "How can we be against (tolls) if we don't know where they are?” said Councilor Peter Rosso, a Democrat. “If we go with the Republican plan to borrow money, they're going to borrow millions of dollars, all of which the state of Connecticut residents will have to repay.” Fellow Democrat Karen Pagliaro said there have yet to be any studies that show the effect of tolls on roadways in surrounding towns. The vote made Berlin the latest town to adopt an anti-toll resolution. Wallingford and Cheshire, both with Republican-controlled councils, have passed similar resolutions in recent weeks. Councils in other towns, including Meriden and Southington, have also seen proposals, but Democratic majorities have blocked votes. Berlin Republican Councilor Charles Paonessa believes tolls will also mean higher prices at supermarkets and See Tolls, A17 John Egan & Lesley Garlock South Bay Team Over $52M SOLD in 2018 southbayteam.raveis.com