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Simsbury Voters Approve Budgets, Land Purchase
(Hartford Courant, The (CT) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 21--SIMSBURY -- -- The town's proposed budgets and land acquisition passed overwhelmingly at Tuesday's referendum.
Residents voted to approve $18.3 million for the board of selectmen's budget; $60.1 million for the board of education; $13.9 million for special programs such as the sewer treatment plant; and $2.75 million to buy 77 acres near Firetown and Barndoor Hills roads and Holcomb Street. The total budget represents a 3.78 percent increase over current spending.
About 18 percent of the town's registered voters showed up to the polls. They approved each of the four referendum questions by at least a 2-to-1 ratio.
The board of finance met after the results were read and set the tax rate at 29.6 mills for the town and 1.05 mills for the fire district. The tax rate represents a significant decrease from last year, which was 36.9 mills for the town and 1.3 mills for the fire district, because of revaluation. Residents can determine their estimated tax bill using a calculator on the town website at www.simsbury-ct.gov.
"I am relieved that the voters have validated the budgets that we brought to them ... in addition to the land acquisition question," finance board Chairman Paul Henault said.
He remarked on the "pretty good turnout" that helped pass the budget "with relative ease."
First Selectman Mary Glassman said the board of finance's decision to set guidelines in the beginning of the budget process to have the boards of selectmen and education cap their spending increases by 3.5 percent reassured residents there wouldn't be large increases in the budget.
However, she said, the town hopes to keep costs even lower by getting bonding authorization for a grant the town already was awarded and by looking for more state grants.
"It's a short-term success that we passed the budget, but we have to keep our long-term goal of keeping expenses down," Glassman said.
Unlike a couple of surrounding towns, Simsbury approved its budget on the first try. Avon's proposed budget failed once at referendum and the town will give it a second try in June. Farmington's proposed budget failed twice at referendum and the town council was meeting late Tuesday.
"Given the climate, given what's happening with our neighbors, we're glad that the number of people came out and passed the budget," Glassman said.
Contact Regine Labossiere at rlabossiere@courant.com.
To see more of The Hartford Courant, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.courant.com/.
Copyright (c) 2008, The Hartford Courant, Conn.
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