Thursday, February 28, 2019
www.berlincitizen.com
Volume 23, Number 2
Town manager to present budget BOE OK’s Town administrators are bracing for what would amount to a $524,000 cut under Gov. Ned Lamont’s budget proposal as they finalize the municipal side of the budget.
spending increase
Board of Education’s $46.2 million spending request, to the Board of Finance on Monday, March 4. The school board’s budget represents a nearly 6 percent increase in funding.
By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
Lamont proposed cutting Berlin’s Education Cost Sharing grant by nearly $370,000 “It’s going to be a tight bud- to $5.67 million in next year. get year,” said Town Manager Non-education grants proJack Healy. While he said vided by the state would also there was room left to absorb fall around $20,000. Then-Interim Town Manager Jack Healy speaks at a such a shortfall, if Lamont’s May 15, 2018 Town Council meeting. Finance Director Kevin Debudget is passed by the Gen| Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen eral Assembly it would have laney said Berlin’s share of ECS funding was already set a noticeable impact for local to fall by around $60,000 speed that timeline to three expected ECS revenue, taxpayers. while the state budget over the course of 10 years years. “At the end of the day it will under a law that seeks to promises $6 million. play a role in the mill rate,” gradually reduce funding for Lamont’s budget would alCouncilors were skittish so call for Berlin to pay Healy said. towns receiving more than about incorporating the $133,840 next year towards dictated by the state’s formuHealy will present his budget full sum due to the midits teachers’ pensions, a la. Lamont’s budget would proposal, along said the year cuts in recent years, system that is currently prompting the council to funded entirely by the cut school spending by state. “This reform ensures $400,000 during the fisthat municipalities have cal year. some skin in the game and the pension burden is shared more fairly,” Lamont Mayor Mark Kaczynski said he’s concerned said in his Feb. 20 budget about the town’s ability address. to accommodate the potential cut while dealing Delaney said this year’s with rising pension and budget already assumed debt payments. less ECS funding than the town actually received, “I'm sure we’re going to making it easier to absorb lose some money,” he the proposed cut for next said. “The question is Finance Director Kevin Delaney speaks at a June 5, 2018 year. The town’s adopted how much.” Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen budget lists $5.4 million in Town Council meeting.
The Board of Education unanimously passed a $46.2 million budget proposal, a nearly 6 percent increase in funding for the 2019-20 school year. The board presented its proposal during a Feb. 20 meeting of the Board of Finance, whose approval is needed before the budget can move to the Town Council and an eventual referendum. The sum was approved at the Feb. 11 school board meeting and would constitute a $2.6 million increase, or 5.97 percent, in school spending over this year’s budget. Superintendent Brian Benigni said past budget increases didn’t keep up with rises in employee salaries, meaning the board has already made many of the available cuts. “We now have that competitive high school. We now have a program of studies that I feel is second to See Budget, A12
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