MONROE, CT — Two large banners near the St. Jude School driveway beckoned drivers on Route 111 to turn into the parking lot and vote on the town budget Tuesday. That afternoon, a long line had formed at the polls.
“It’s been very busy. It’s been steady despite the rain,” the moderator, Sue Waters, observed.
By the end of the day, 2,249 people participating in the referendum approved the $108.19 million budget proposal by a vote of 1,156 to 1,093, according to unofficial numbers from the Registrars of Voters Office. Total turnout was around 16.61 percent of those eligible to vote.
It was a difficult year, with a state-mandated revaluation increasing the tax burden on residential homeowners and a school district with student enrollment bursting at the seams.
“First of all, I’m really happy it passed,” Superintendent Joseph Kobza said. “I’m well aware of the challenges that accompanied this year, but I’m also keenly aware of the challenges facing the district and we needed this to pass to get the work of the district done.”
“The budget vote in Monroe has always been a critical event for as long as I can remember,” First Selectman Terry Rooney said. “So much history with multiple referendums and annual challenges. This is my twelfth year being involved in the process and by far the most difficult.”
“The impact of the state-mandated revaluation is going to have a tax impact I’m not particularly happy about,” he continued. “When July arrives there will be challenges, however I am comfortable knowing that this administration mitigated the tax impact to our citizens as vigorously as possible. We made very difficult, well vetted and some unpopular decisions to create confidently the most fair townwide budget while battling a hyper challenging environment.”
To reduce the impact of the revaluation on taxpayers, the proposed mill rate was lowered from 38.27 to 28.67 mills and $4 million will be used from the undesignated fund balance to offset what residents pay.
Individual tax bills can be calculated by multiplying one’s assessed property value by the 28.67 mill rate — the rate the Board of Finance is expected to set after the referendum — and then dividing by 1,000.
“Although the budget that was passed tonight was higher than my original proposal, I recognize how strongly the people of Monroe felt during this referendum,” Rooney said. “A narrow pass of 63 votes and a below 17 percent turnout is far less of a response than we should see for a budget referendum, however the people of Monroe spoke by casting a vote. Everyone had an opportunity to have their voice heard and the result is a passing budget.”
“As challenging as this process was, I am proud as your first selectman to successfully complete and pass what is considered by Town Hall veterans, to be the most difficult town budget in the last two decades,” Rooney added.
The approved budget represents a 3.92 percent spending increase over the current budget with $74,700,763 for education, which is a 4.53 percent increase over the current $71,464,259 spending plan.
Municipal spending will rise from $31,873,849 to $32,523,469 or by 2.04 percent. The budget also includes $966,593 in contingency and other appropriations.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
What a terrible display of apathy by the citizens of Monroe. Anyone who failed to cast a vote today has no right to be upset when they see their tax bill in July. Their failure to cast a ballot today was a yes vote for one of the largest tax hike in the history of the town. We are very fortunate to have a say in the town’s budget. A 16 percent turnout is a slap on the face of that privilege.
shamefull over 18000.residents and only 2449 took the time to vote…..
With the significant increase in homeowners taxes, more current information should’ve been provided. The reevaluation letter went out in November. I don’t know when the mill rate was made public. You cannot do the math without all the information.. in my opinion, the low turnout indicates lack of understanding of the tax impact on homeowners. When tax bills come out later this year homeowners are gonna feel they were blindsided by the first selectman
People had months to do their homework. It wasn’t like nobody knew the vote has going on there was plenty of signage and notice. They either didn’t care or are comfortable with the increase so they didn’t vote.
When the final detail plans for expanding the school buildings are drawn up, some consideration should be given to continued substantial growth in the student population. These tax increases for homeowners with no children in the system will only continue the cycle of homes with no children being replaced by homes with children.
Of course everybody has the right to vote anyway they would like, but I find it mind-boggling that a Monroe resident would vote YES on the very first budget referendum where individual property taxes are slated to raise as much as 27% (or more)! (my numbers are based on conversations I’ve had with people about their property taxes, and their projected increase). My property tax is slated to increase by 19%, or $1800, on a 1550 square-foot ranch that we bought 17 years ago, just as I’m sending my second child to college in the Fall. Property tax increases like this can force long-time or lifelong residence of Monroe to have to move out of town. There should be a cap on how much an individual property tax can be increased in any given year.
Additionally, I don’t think the ballot even mentioned the proposed mill rate for property tax, yet the mill rate is tied to the budget and voted on during the referendum. This is a slick move to hide it from the public. If the budget did not pass, the mill rate would likely have been readjusted lower to lower our property taxes. (Forgive me if the ballot did mention the proposed mill rate, but I don’t remember it.).
-Disappointed in Monroe
Where was all this outrage when the town purchased St. Judes, which other than a makeshift voting room has been not used as it said it would be, for an outrageous price, instead of putting that money towards reopening Chalk Hill.
Where is all the outrage that the roads in town are the poorest they’ve ever been, with some roads people avoid due to the amount of pot holes. Where is the outrage for the students who have to learn in closets, bathrooms. and on the stage.
Monroe has nothing to attract businesses or economic growth. I’ve seen more businesses leave than open. I’ve been a resident for 55 years. The town was horrible under Kellogg and even worse under Rooney. The people who voted for Rooney this is what you get when you elect someone who acts like our president “All the good stuff happening I did, all the bad stuff happening someone else did” Remember to Vote this November and maybe we can get some change around here.
This town is unique in the fact that it is complaining central yet when it comes time for local elections the same people are continuously voted in. You all wanna complain about the budget but it starts with our local elected officials. Need new faces on all fronts from first selectman, town council, p&z, boe etc etc.