Referendum Tuesday

Please, vote no on the Madison Town Budget going to referendum.

Going to referendum the Board of Selectmen Town budget is at a 5% increase and the School Board of Education budget is to be increased 1.9%.  However, Social Security is being raised only 1.5% and over 100 families in Madison utilize the Food Bank out of need every week.   Madison’s budget increase over the past two years exceeds Clinton and Guilford’s growth by 17% and Westbrook and Branford’s growth by 10%.  It is time to place the brake on these increases.  The Board of Education did a fine job in relation to the economy, but the Town did not.

At the second public hearing on the budget it was stated that all the reserve funds had to be increased, however it was suggested more than once that these could be boosted with the anticipated year end surplus. Last year the Town and Board of Education together had $448,000 in year end surplus.   With the sharp decline in Special Appropriations (out of budget spending for emergencies) it is expected that the surplus should be higher this year.  So why increase tax revenue when funding for the reserve increases is already be available in the coffers?

When many businesses are closing and people are becoming unemployed in Connecticut the Town of Madison is asking us to fund 7 new positions to this budget: a Park Supervisor for Salt Meadow Park, a Park Ranger to open and close all the parks,  a Developer Manager at Scranton Memorial Library,  part time clerk in the Town Clerk Department, an additional police officer in response to Sandy Hook, a staff position for Madison Alcohol and Drug Education at $60,000 (for a group that was once all volunteer then was grant funded and now they lost their grant), and an additional paramedic (Although the last time funding was provided to the Madison Ambulance Association to increase the number of paramedics they spent the funds in a different manner. In addition, they admitted in a budget workshop that they cannot guarantee more staff will reduce long waits on calls since first call-first served and they cover Clinton where there are no paramedics on staff and yet the Town of Clinton does not fund MAA).

This spending does not seem prudent or rational in this economy.  During the Budget Public Hearing the audience, by a very large majority, very clearly asked the Board of Finance to cut the budget, but they did not.  This proposed budget was presented with no information on a possible mil rate, as was provided at hearings in the past.  Without a proposed mil rate it is difficult for residents to determine the impact on their financial future, for some it can mean the difference between staying in their home or placing it on the market. Why is a mil rate not being made public?  Why did the Board of Finance ignore the plea of the majority at the hearing?  Without reasonable answers and figures during this poor economic period in the State of CT the residents should vote no at the referendum on Tuesday.

This data was found in the Town Annual Report and budget workshop minutes on the Town website, the Public Hearings viewable on television, and the budget binder at Town Campus.  Or telephone the public figures responsible for increasing your taxes at rates above neighboring towns.