Ridgefield Press
Voters pass budgets, turnout is 18%
May 9, 2006

Ridgefield�s $111-million budget for next year �passed comfortably� in referendum voting on Tuesday, May 9, although turnout was very low, Town Clerk Barbara Serfilippi said. Only 18.6% of the town�s registered voters turned out to vote Tuesday.

The passage of the $111-million combined town and school operating budget will mean a tax increase of 3.46%, with the mill rate going from 23.42 mills to 24.23 mills.

�I am not happy about the turnout,� First Selectman Rudy Marconi said. �We are happy with the results. It�s an indication that the people in this town are satisfied with a 3.5% tax increase.�

The combined budget represents a 5.07% spending increase over the current years� appropriation.

The 5.07% spending increase is smaller than the 3.46% tax increase needed to support it due to an increase in the value of the town�s Grand List and a net projected rise in other revenues � fees charged for services, investment income and the real estate conveyance tax, which is set by the state.

Most of the approved spending is in the $68.6 million school budget that the Board of Education will use to operate the town�s 10 schools. Another $27.4 million is allocated for operation of town departments such as police, fire, highway, recreation and the town hall offices. Some $15 million will go to debt service.

In passing all questions on the ballot, voters also approved more than $3 million in proposed capital spending on equipment purchases and construction projects.

�I am pleased to see that the taxpayers have voted to pass the budget and capital items,� Board of Finance Chairman Marty Heiser said after the final votes were tallied. �I think it reflects the hard work done by all of the town agencies to keep the tax increase to 3.5%. The Board of Finance will continue to work to restrain tax increases.�

The town departments got more support than the school system, with the town budget passing 67% to 33% while the school budget was approved 59% to 41% � the only question on the ballot to have less than 60% support.

Once again, voters� most enthusiastic support was for the road construction, with the road question passing 70% to 30%.

The results of the seven budget questions were:
�    Question 1 on the town�s $41,961,700 budget: 1,897 yes to 916 no.
�    Question 2 on the school�s $68,653,285 budget: 1,654 yes to 1,130 no.
�    Question 3 on $294,300 for short-term expenditures including police vehicles, some school projects and other town vehicles: 1,763 yes to 973 no.
�    Question 4 on $753,000 for computer upgrades, town hall improvements, engineering costs and construction of a maintenance garage: 1,757 yes to 988 no.
�    Question 5 on $1,504,500 for roadwork and infrastructure improvements: 1,932 yes to 832 no.
�    Question 6 on $556,000 for vehicles and equipment, including a new ambulance and Highway Department dump trucks: 1,668 yes to 1,079 no.
�    Question 7 on $496,000 for school improvement projects and equipment: 1,723 yes to 1,053 no.



� Copyright by Hersam Acorn newspapers

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