From:
Susan Kniep, President
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Website: ctact.org
860-528-0323
June 22, 2004
SPECIAL
EDITION:
Again, Donna McCalla
of Hebron Dollars & Sense is doing an outstanding job on compiling
information on tax and budget proposals and adoptions by the towns and cities
throughout Connecticut. Please refer to
her comments below and the attachment which should be opened in Excel. If you cannot open, contact me at fctopresident@ctact.org and I will send it to you.
WELCOME TO THE 32nd EDITION OF
TAX
TALK
Your update on what others are thinking, doing, and planning
Send your comments or questions to me, and
I will include in next week's publication.
Please note that TAX TALK is now on our Website
McCalla, CTJodi146@aol.com
Tax Group: Hebron Dollars and Sense
Website: www.HebronDollarsandSense.com
Subject: Connecticut Municipal Tax Increase
Comparisons for 2004
June 22, 2004
Congratulations, Thank
You, Super Job to Donna McCalla
who puts her time and effort into compiling valuable information on Town
and Board of Education Budgets throughout the State. Please refer to
Donna's comments below and the attachment which should be opened in
excel. Also, if you have information on your town, you may wish to
communicate with Donna directly at the email address CTJodi146@aol.com.
Susan Kniep
A Message from Donna:
Hello, all. I am attaching the updated spreadsheet
for Connecticut Municipal Tax
Increases for FY 2004-05 as of information I have 6/21/04. As you can see, there is not a lot
of deviation from the original projections, despite some really high budgets
being passed! The statewide average is 5.85%; with various regressions,
the statewide average is in the 5.6% range.
All eyes now are on Avon, West Hartford and Colchester. All three
communities are facing unprecedented multi-referendum situations. You
will find the "By Result" tab very interesting, but the reality is, method of voting is tied very significantly to budget
outcomes. It is being confirmed year after year with the data.
I am now at the "calling stage" to various
First Selectmen and Finance Directors in order to fill in the blanks, which I
started yesterday. I hope the next update will be far more complete,
although a contracted book deadline in 8 days is wrecking havoc with my
time! Sorry... Also, some of you have asked for an updated
Education Budget spreadsheet; that one is extremely volatile right
now because many towns have passed budgets with lesser amounts budgeted
for education than originally requested way back in December 2003/January
2004. I will send that one out (but after July 2!!)
Any questions or corrections,
please let me know. Thanks, Donna
****
Tom Durso, TDurso8217
Subject:
State Rep Shawn Williams Responds to Democrats’ Attack on
State Budget Vote
Oakville, Watertown Taxpayers
Association
June 10, 2004
(WATERTOWN)- Calling it “the same old song and dance,”
State Rep. Sean Williams (R- Watertown) today responded to the statements of
Democrat Town Committee Chairwoman Denise Russ regarding his “no” vote on the
state budget earlier this year.
Williams explained that he voted against the “fiscally irresponsible”
budget because the legislature spent the entire budget surplus, which at the
time was projected to be $224 million.
“Last year the state of Connecticut was in a
budget crisis and had to find ways to plug a whopping $1.2 billion
deficit. As a result, Connecticut residents were
hit with a mix of tax increases, spending cuts, and state employee layoffs,”
Representative Williams said. “This
General Assembly should have had the foresight to put this surplus away for
future budget crises rather than to spend it as soon as it comes in. Government needs to operate more like a
business, and no business would ever be able to survive by operating the way Connecticut government
does.” Rep. Williams also responded to
the charge by Mrs. Russ that by voting against the state budget, he voted
against a reduction in the local mill rate.
“I am a strong advocate of property tax reform, but probably not the way
Mrs. Russ and most of the Democrats want to reform it. I want to give middle class families and
senior citizens property tax relief by seriously reforming binding arbitration
and reducing the unfunded mandates that plague our communities. The Democrats proposal for property tax
reform is a sham, it doesn’t address the real problem that plagues our
taxpayers, and that is government overspending and
crippling regulations.” Rep.
Williams went on to say that the size of government continues to grow even in
weak economic times. “When times are tough, businesses and working families
have to find a way to tighten their belts, but state government keeps spending
and spending regardless of how bad the economy is. Connecticut ranks ninth
in local and state tax burden so it is high time that we reign in
government spending and give real and total tax relief to working
families.” Finally, Rep. Williams said he wants to talk about the
real issues facing the residents of the 68th District. He said that many people want to turn the
focus away from the real issues and make the 2004 campaign about the troubles
surrounding Governor Rowland. “This
election year you won’t hear most local Democrats, the party of the Clintons
no less, talking about reforming binding arbitration or returning more
power to the taxpayers, but judging by their statements recently, they intend
to make this election as much about Governor John Rowland as they possibly
can. The Committee of Inquiry is doing
its job, which is to gather the facts.
When they do, the House of Representatives will have a tremendous
decision to make with regard to the Governor’s fate. Until then, I am focused on the issues that
matter to the people I represent, and I hope the Democrats will join me in that
debate.”