Board of Finance Approves 2011-12 Town Budget at $63,051,471

"This, in my opinion, is not a normal year," Board of Finance Chairman William Slifkin said Tuesday. "The Bethel taxpayers are facing unprecedented tax burdens in the upcoming months...I ask all the members of the Board of Finance to consider this when deliberating [next year's] budget."

With that in mind, the Board of Finance approved a $63,051,471 2011-12 budget Tuesday, which is comprised of a town operating budget of $20,299,587 and a Board of Education budget of $37, 991,050. The total budget is an approximate 1.285 percent increase in current spending.

The vote was 4-3 with board members Timothy Draper, James Roden and J. Phillip Gallagher opposing. 

The Board of Selectmen originally presented a town budget of $63,157,499 (or a 1.455 percent increase in current spending) and after deliberating, the Board of Finance cut a total of $106,028 from that plan.

One of the biggest cuts was a decrease in $50,000 from the presented Board of Education budget. Board of Finance member William Kingston motioned for the cut that was meant for potentially hiring a new teacher.

"I think the (education) budget was carefully crafted, but I cannot support a head count increase when the numbers of students is not expected to increase," Kingston said. 

Another cut came from the police department, when the board removed $10,000 in overtime costs that the department asked for. 

Most town departments' budgets passed with no or little change, mostly decreases.  

A public town hearing date has yet to be determined, though it is expected to be scheduled in late March or early April.