Ridgefield Finance Board Cuts School, Town Budgets; Decreases ...

The Ridgefield Board of Finance voted on several items Wednesday evening.

Ultimately, the board cut $100 thousand from the proposed school budget and $190 thousand from the proposed town budget and voted in favor of returning $3.2 million of the $4.3 million Connecticut Light & Power overage for a tax reduction of 1.15%.

CAPITAL:

Most capital items were approved unanimously.

But road paving originally slated for $1.5 million was cut by $300 thousand for a total of $1.2 million by a vote of 3-2, split along party lines. Democrats Dave Ulmer (chair), Paul Sutherland and Jessica Mancini opposed the extra spending. Republicans Marty Heiser and Jill Bornstein voted for the $1.5 million.

Another contentious aspect of the capital vote included the $150 thousand purchase of a generator to make the Recreation Center a viable emergency shelter. Bornstein opposed the purchase because of the lack of a "concrete plan."

TOWN:

Because the library will be under construction this year, its operating cost will be cut by about $130 thousand. Taking that into account, the finance board cut the town budget by an additional $60 thousand for a total of $190 thousand. Mancini voted against this cut because of her stand against "cherry picking" the budget set by the selectmen.

EDUCATION:

The board voted 4-1 in favor of a $100 thousand cut to the original budget, which follows accordingly with the Board of Selectmen's recommendation. Mancini voted against the cut.

TAXES:

The most complicated decision of the night involved the allocation of funds derived from the $4.3 million gained from CL&P's error at the high school for service bills. Heiser made it very clear that he wanted every dollar returned to the taxpayers this fiscal year. But First Selectman Rudy Marconi and others on the board made it clear that doing so would create a "false economy" that could create bigger tax increases next year and in the future.

Ultimately, the board decided that $3.2 million (three quarters of the amount) would be returned to the taxpayers this year for a tax decrease of 1.15 percent.

sasha baron cohen stacy keibler stacy keibler esperanza spalding all star game oscar red carpet daytona 500 start time