No Frills Clinton Budget

Budget talks have officially begun in Clinton when a recent joint meeting of the boards of selectmen, finance and education was held.

Attended by a good smattering of the public, the goal of the meeting was to begin to outline to residents and electors several different scenarios of the new fiscal 2011-2012 budget that begins July 1, 2011.

As First Selectman William "Willie" Fritz explained, the town is obligated to provide certain services and to honor its nine union contracts "and it's not free."

Even at a 2 or 3 percent increase in the new budget from the town's current expenses of $14.2 million and the school's of $31 million, services that were cut last year cannot be reinstated.

"This increase is without restoring part-time personnel, life guards at the beach, marine patrol, and days open for the Department of Public Works," said Fritz. "The increase will barely cover the fixed costs."

This is presuming the new governor of the state doesn't axe money to the town.

"For the schools, a 3 percent increase covers fixed costs assuming there is no reduction in the town's revenues," said Fritz.

Fritz said the price of everything is going up – food to make lunches for the students, gasoline, heating oil, etc.

A proposed 3 percent increase in the current budget – assuming no reductions in the current amount of money the town receives from the state, with a tax collection rate of 98.5 percent, would result in a .83 mill increase from the current mill rate of 22.41 to 23.24.

Similarly, a proposed 2 percent increase in the current budget – assuming no reductions in revenue, would increase the mill rate by .55.

Speaking of taxes, Selectman Dolly Mezzetti made it clear to all that she believes that only current and valid taxpayers in town have the right to tell the boards what they think – whether good, bad, or indifferent.

"Not the ones who don't pay their taxes," she said.

A 10 percent reduction in state revenues – even with a 2 percent rise in the budget, would result in a 1.09 mill rate increase. A 3 percent increase in the budget under the same scenario would increase the current mill rate by 1.37 mills to 23.78.

Resident Valerie Nye asked whether the town has considered consolidating services to save money.

Speaking to the same subject, resident Bill Viggiano asked if the town has looked into combining its purchasing power with other towns for materials or insurance, for example.

Fritz explained that representatives from many town boards have continued to look at inefficiencies, efficiencies, replications of services, and the like.

"We are pretty tight," said Fritz. "There are no frills. We have reduced the size of departments, recently consolidated Social Services and Youth & Family. We have looked everywhere we can to see what we could share with another town."

Fritz said that neighboring towns have shot down some ideas.

"It's like wanting to get married – but you need a bride to go to the altar," he said.