Politics & Government

Town Budget Passes

The Suffield budget for the coming year was approved on Wednesday night.

The $50 million Suffield town budget passed by a voice vote during a short town meeting Wednesday night at Suffield High School.

The budget’s expenditures decreased by approximately $1.1 million this year, from $51,768,031 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year to $50,609,137. It anticipates the need for $33,114,341 to be raised in taxes. The mill rate increase is mostly due to the town trash collection fee being rolled into tax payments instead of existing as a separate bill.

The school side of the budget, prepared by the Suffield Board of Education, was listed at $30,761,551, about 61 percent of the overall budget.

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“Wages and benefits are in excess of 80 percent of the budget,” said Board of Education member Bob Eccles.

Eccles said the school budget increased by about 1 percent overall. The school system is looking forward to implementing suggestions from a recent efficiency report that Eccles called “exciting work.”

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General government operations accounted for slightly more than 20 percent of the budget, $13,253,210.

First Selectman Tom Frenaye pointed out that while the budget passed, it may be changed based on the outcome of state labor negotiations and the resulting change to state funding for towns.

“This year could be an interesting time if the state budget changes a lot,” he said.

Frenaye said significant changes to the state budget would require the Suffield Board of Finance to instruct other town boards and departments to cut their budgets. He also said the state would likely pass legislation allowing towns to reopen the budget process.

The budget provides for no additional positions on the town government side. The school side of the budget projects the reduction of the equivalent of about 3.5 full-time employee positions due to retirements. The school system does not plan on replacing those employees, citing a reduction in enrollment and the current financial climate.

After a brief discussion period, the budget was put to a voice vote and passed by a wide margin, with about five of the 75 people present voting against.

The Board of Finance then held a very brief meeting where it officially set the mill rate for the coming fiscal year at 24.17.


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