Politics & Government
State Budget: See How Bethel Fares Under Malloy's Updated Proposal
Gov. Malloy's revised budget proposal eliminates or sharply reduces certain forms of aid that are doled out to towns.
BETHEL, CT — Gov. Dannel Malloy’s revised state budget proposal doubles down on reducing municipal aid for most of the state’s towns and boosts aid for poorer communities even more than his initial proposal.
Malloy’s office was forced back to the drawing board after April’s income tax receipts came in significantly lower than expected. The estimated budget deficit for the next two years is $5 billion. One of the largest changes compared to his previous proposal is eliminating or sharply reducing certain forms of aid that are given to towns, such as sharing casino revenue.
If passed by the legislature, Bethel would stand to lose $6,769,361 in state aid compared to fiscal year 2017.
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The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund would be eliminated. The governor's original budget proposal called for distributing $58.1 million in aid to towns for the next fiscal year. The Municipal Revenue Sharing Fund would be reduced from $349 million to $50 million per year.
“The truth is the new economic reality demands this of us," Malloy said. “The state can only support as many grants and programs as our available resources allow.”
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Some previous concerns about municipal aid were echoed by Republicans. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)
“While I still have serious concerns about elements of his proposal, including unfair burdens being placed upon municipalities, I also appreciate the governor being open minded and incorporating ideas from others, such as efforts by Republicans to stabilize the state’s Special Transportation Fund,” said Republican State Senate President Pro Tempore Len Fasano.
Malloy’s proposal still includes shifting part of the teacher pension burden to municipalities. The proposal has proven unpopular, and Democratic legislative leadership has acknowledged that the votes likely aren’t there to pass the measure as Malloy proposes it.
Compared to fiscal year 2017 the top winners are:
- Hartford $57,175,794
- Waterbury $48,787,574
- New Britain $35,828,970
- Bridgeport $31,217,311
- Norwich $14,223,110
- West Haven $13,699,248
- New Haven $12,047,167
- New London $12,023,830
- Windham $9,832,671
- Middletown $9,172,512
Around 25 municipalities would see an increase in state aid compared to 2017, and less than 20 would see an increase compared to Malloy’s February budget proposal.
Some of the state’s poorest communities, such as Hartford, fared even better under Malloy’s new proposal. The capital city would receive $7.7 million more than his February proposal. However, there are a number of exceptions. For example, New Haven would receive $6.5 million less than the original proposal.
The following are the top 10 communities in terms of loss of state aid compared to fiscal year 2017:
- West Hartford $24,043,590
- Milford $18,298,598
- Groton $17,959,315
- Wallingford $14,175,853
- South Windsor $12,536,165
- Fairfield $12,498,466
- Glastonbury $12,305,804
- New Milford $12,110,846
- Cheshire $10,769,592
- Newtown $10,500,225
All of the top 10 losing communities would receive even less aid than in Malloy’s first proposal.
Below is the full list by town.
Below is the full list by town.
| Grantee | FY 2017 | Change from FY 2017 to 2018 | FY 2018 Change from Previous Malloy Proposal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andover | $2,604,913 | -$1,240,060 | -$366,849 |
| Ansonia | $17,758,908 | $6,301,083 | $1,491,669 |
| Ashford | $4,258,253 | -$1,179,525 | -$184,444 |
| Avon | $1,694,886 | -$4,014,327 | -$1,408,592 |
| Barkhamsted | $1,961,395 | -$983,135 | -$603,410 |
| Beacon Falls | $4,463,542 | -$1,242,873 | -$634,075 |
| Berlin | $8,222,768 | -$8,551,755 | -$4,186,910 |
| Bethany | $2,424,302 | -$2,513,753 | -$1,261,070 |
| Bethel | $9,128,331 | -$6,769,361 | -$3,438,771 |
| Bethlehem | $1,551,239 | -$1,418,929 | -$526,029 |
| Bloomfield | $8,962,033 | -$6,480,473 | -$4,620,898 |
| Bolton | $3,345,434 | -$2,141,905 | -$1,001,695 |
| Bozrah | $1,615,446 | -$300,785 | -$197,626 |
| Branford | $3,613,632 | -$5,603,553 | -$2,485,947 |
| Bridgeport | $216,895,441 | $31,217,312 | $10,130,786 |
| Bridgewater | $223,469 | -$155,717 | -$46,564 |
| Bristol | $50,352,249 | -$245,282 | -$2,217,111 |
| Brookfield | $2,203,641 | -$3,781,007 | -$1,398,622 |
| Brooklyn | $7,616,877 | -$452,613 | -$263,211 |
| Burlington | $4,848,620 | -$3,414,353 | -$1,881,222 |
| Canaan | $484,734 | -$448,515 | -$168,455 |
| Canterbury | $4,983,826 | -$1,512,157 | -$125,806 |
| Canton | $3,900,071 | -$4,180,118 | -$2,069,878 |
| Chaplin | $2,211,766 | -$697,476 | -$222,439 |
| Cheshire | $14,541,620 | -$10,769,592 | -$7,535,882 |
| Chester | $1,007,318 | -$769,024 | -$650,314 |
| Clinton | $7,101,412 | -$8,036,051 | -$2,422,259 |
| Colchester | $14,293,025 | -$4,665,389 | -$1,588,117 |
| Colebrook | $730,796 | -$575,249 | -$227,112 |
| Columbia | $2,882,414 | -$1,033,191 | -$795,408 |
| Cornwall | $250,957 | -$154,847 | -$86,584 |
| Coventry | $9,355,457 | -$3,554,813 | -$1,188,590 |
| Cromwell | $5,286,914 | -$2,070,769 | -$1,903,414 |
| Danbury | $40,558,277 | $5,990,649 | -$5,918,947 |
| Darien | $923,876 | -$4,875,470 | -$342,225 |
| Deep River | $2,084,492 | -$1,753,153 | -$971,261 |
| Derby | $9,897,859 | $5,241,970 | $258,820 |
| Durham | $4,435,733 | -$3,999,127 | -$1,740,427 |
| East Granby | $2,306,838 | -$2,376,411 | -$1,109,330 |
| East Haddam | $4,237,183 | -$2,542,461 | -$1,283,061 |
| East Hampton | $8,234,680 | -$4,349,962 | -$1,988,841 |
| East Hartford | $59,634,958 | -$3,626,757 | -$5,740,969 |
| East Haven | $21,456,411 | -$448,685 | -$1,615,177 |
| East Lyme | $8,635,864 | -$9,379,089 | -$4,285,359 |
| East Windsor | $6,567,994 | -$2,453,095 | -$833,486 |
| Eastford | $1,354,161 | -$724,939 | -$174,307 |
| Easton | $571,426 | -$1,480,929 | -$575,994 |
| Ellington | $10,610,543 | -$3,742,288 | -$1,848,718 |
| Enfield | $32,351,534 | -$3,343,120 | -$3,408,501 |
| Essex | $477,317 | -$712,332 | -$567,698 |
| Fairfield | $4,876,302 | -$12,498,467 | -$4,931,526 |
| Farmington | $5,537,301 | -$5,643,302 | -$1,439,807 |
| Franklin | $1,121,057 | -$873,360 | -$262,947 |
| Glastonbury | $8,144,172 | -$12,305,804 | -$4,327,055 |
| Goshen | $399,148 | -$324,043 | -$197,602 |
| Granby | $6,068,267 | -$4,043,031 | -$2,432,835 |
| Greenwich | $1,402,796 | -$7,057,930 | -$444,538 |
| Griswold | $11,369,646 | $226,676 | $97,445 |
| Groton | $28,953,682 | -$17,959,316 | -$5,482,315 |
| Guilford | $3,648,523 | -$5,836,573 | -$1,935,601 |
| Haddam | $2,428,374 | -$2,531,424 | -$1,834,601 |
| Hamden | $37,416,121 | $5,127,577 | -$5,470,419 |
| Hampton | $1,570,309 | -$527,855 | -$92,474 |
| Hartford | $272,106,125 | $57,175,795 | $7,716,529 |
| Hartland | $1,597,233 | -$915,342 | -$242,288 |
| Harwinton | $3,083,886 | -$2,317,951 | -$995,779 |
| Hebron | $7,345,795 | -$3,675,165 | -$2,622,243 |
| Kent | $378,338 | -$318,830 | -$216,743 |
| Killingly | $17,420,586 | $7,122 | $339,360 |
| Killingworth | $2,587,686 | -$2,892,966 | -$1,026,451 |
| Lebanon | $5,941,149 | -$2,462,082 | -$726,568 |
| Ledyard | $14,197,218 | -$3,537,101 | -$2,008,021 |
| Lisbon | $3,773,373 | -$2,267,271 | -$499,668 |
| Litchfield | $2,054,591 | -$2,347,002 | -$715,612 |
| Lyme | $270,457 | -$298,316 | -$117,619 |
| Madison | $1,528,193 | -$3,559,698 | -$1,704,002 |
| Manchester | $40,503,515 | -$28,756 | -$8,385,449 |
| Mansfield | $20,681,083 | -$5,579,369 | -$3,471,667 |
| Marlborough | $3,516,901 | -$2,223,519 | -$1,006,581 |
| Meriden | $66,293,738 | $8,905,400 | $4,661,742 |
| Middlebury | $1,326,998 | -$1,891,332 | -$1,241,172 |
| Middlefield | $2,648,192 | -$1,852,657 | -$916,134 |
| Middletown | $31,843,188 | $9,172,513 | -$4,577,288 |
| Milford | $15,568,533 | -$18,298,598 | -$7,309,951 |
| Monroe | $7,365,045 | -$9,713,045 | -$3,190,661 |
| Montville | $16,319,338 | -$2,579,815 | -$1,389,678 |
| Morris | $319,519 | -$346,865 | -$182,302 |
| Naugatuck | $33,810,415 | -$702,366 | -$1,683,330 |
| New Britain | $103,913,772 | $35,828,970 | $6,892,533 |
| New Canaan | $852,811 | -$3,778,995 | -$313,084 |
| New Fairfield | $4,927,972 | -$6,530,813 | -$2,199,046 |
| New Hartford | $3,677,671 | -$2,294,160 | -$1,164,503 |
| New Haven | $226,942,430 | $12,047,167 | -$6,507,491 |
| New London | $35,554,124 | $12,023,831 | $1,446,575 |
| New Milford | $13,803,141 | -$12,110,847 | -$5,501,172 |
| Newington | $17,429,828 | -$5,906,295 | -$6,170,037 |
| Newtown | $7,512,058 | -$10,500,226 | -$5,915,347 |
| Norfolk | $421,057 | -$216,483 | -$178,637 |
| North Branford | $9,025,980 | -$5,337,866 | -$1,687,729 |
| North Canaan | $2,683,497 | -$1,759,899 | -$380,267 |
| North Haven | $6,822,012 | -$7,837,126 | -$4,249,245 |
| North Stonington | $3,746,165 | -$3,056,379 | -$1,701,784 |
| Norwalk | $18,062,640 | -$1,134,739 | -$9,755,601 |
| Norwich | $41,409,935 | $14,223,111 | $1,989,893 |
| Old Lyme | $570,774 | -$1,188,341 | -$421,879 |
| Old Saybrook | $532,330 | -$1,405,380 | -$559,901 |
| Orange | $2,354,335 | -$3,807,028 | -$1,510,286 |
| Oxford | $5,240,840 | -$6,095,906 | -$2,093,514 |
| Plainfield | $16,348,286 | -$1,224,219 | $187,379 |
| Plainville | $11,655,544 | -$1,960,290 | -$1,009,567 |
| Plymouth | $10,488,256 | -$430,036 | -$411,017 |
| Pomfret | $3,444,096 | -$837,742 | -$341,029 |
| Portland | $4,916,272 | -$1,781,580 | -$1,273,941 |
| Preston | $4,034,853 | -$1,191,655 | -$1,505,049 |
| Prospect | $5,824,198 | -$2,356,073 | -$1,051,122 |
| Putnam | $9,174,274 | -$7,895 | $392,502 |
| Redding | $743,118 | -$2,038,070 | -$788,662 |
| Ridgefield | $2,037,900 | -$5,701,417 | -$1,291,102 |
| Rocky Hill | $6,184,126 | -$5,175,101 | -$4,089,471 |
| Roxbury | $386,837 | -$269,937 | -$60,098 |
| Salem | $3,396,975 | -$1,371,214 | -$673,851 |
| Salisbury | $322,188 | -$336,950 | -$121,250 |
| Scotland | $1,649,714 | -$379,646 | -$107,960 |
| Seymour | $11,082,914 | -$1,191,625 | -$1,165,518 |
| Sharon | $392,783 | -$247,816 | -$124,586 |
| Shelton | $7,774,769 | -$10,398,406 | -$5,773,354 |
| Sherman | $297,603 | -$426,962 | -$154,952 |
| Simsbury | $7,152,241 | -$8,186,951 | -$6,571,701 |
| Somers | $8,859,512 | -$3,525,879 | -$3,003,391 |
| South Windsor | $15,151,967 | -$12,536,166 | -$5,831,697 |
| Southbury | $4,458,433 | -$5,676,477 | -$4,417,909 |
| Southington | $22,599,847 | -$6,092,429 | -$5,341,848 |
| Sprague | $3,273,432 | $24,859 | $10,137 |
| Stafford | $11,211,404 | -$1,491,614 | -$447,377 |
| Stamford | $19,169,485 | -$1,565,330 | -$8,235,761 |
| Sterling | $3,522,999 | $354,743 | $17,327 |
| Stonington | $2,280,150 | -$3,515,250 | -$1,500,692 |
| Stratford | $27,042,391 | -$5,742,834 | -$6,632,274 |
| Suffield | $11,368,421 | -$4,753,831 | -$4,715,015 |
| Thomaston | $6,445,005 | -$1,409,690 | -$484,335 |
| Thompson | $8,068,718 | -$1,476,248 | -$93,494 |
| Tolland | $11,458,989 | -$6,844,013 | -$2,739,624 |
| Torrington | $28,634,790 | $6,690,420 | $1,059,305 |
| Trumbull | $4,866,580 | -$9,310,710 | -$3,668,560 |
| Union | $420,642 | -$224,168 | -$153,875 |
| Vernon | $21,212,508 | $846,724 | -$2,534,384 |
| Voluntown | $2,904,602 | -$1,137,796 | -$410,853 |
| Wallingford | $25,288,141 | -$14,175,853 | -$6,086,542 |
| Warren | $241,023 | -$141,774 | -$84,711 |
| Washington | $418,152 | -$378,707 | -$104,223 |
| Waterbury | $166,910,085 | $48,787,575 | $4,662,257 |
| Waterford | $1,159,947 | -$2,485,948 | -$1,707,284 |
| Watertown | $13,269,791 | -$4,238,358 | -$1,866,603 |
| West Hartford | $25,431,910 | -$24,043,590 | -$16,641,228 |
| West Haven | $53,210,681 | $13,699,249 | $3,040,735 |
| Westbrook | $647,426 | -$780,011 | -$479,514 |
| Weston | $733,097 | -$2,673,116 | -$423,227 |
| Westport | $1,672,011 | -$6,283,608 | -$914,231 |
| Wethersfield | $10,995,265 | -$95,550 | -$4,796,205 |
| Willington | $4,075,960 | -$952,558 | -$348,846 |
| Wilton | $1,474,124 | -$4,873,937 | -$972,719 |
| Winchester | $8,990,639 | $744,090 | $131,365 |
| Windham | $33,378,948 | $9,832,672 | $2,647,162 |
| Windsor | $14,562,222 | -$9,281,664 | -$3,987,931 |
| Windsor Locks | $7,950,873 | -$6,157,258 | -$2,240,735 |
| Wolcott | $14,345,897 | -$6,560,669 | -$1,480,855 |
| Woodbridge | $1,181,893 | -$2,055,623 | -$1,567,013 |
| Woodbury | $1,842,570 | -$2,316,108 | -$1,693,842 |
| Woodstock | $5,932,857 | -$2,575,202 | -$839,291 |
| Bantam (Bor.) | $0 | $478 | $0 |
| Danielson (Bor.) | $14,108 | $1,902 | -$2,232 |
| Fenwick (Bor.) | $1,043 | $1,514 | $0 |
| Groton (City of) | $169,744 | -$24,957 | -$43,160 |
| Groton Long Point | $0 | $5,877 | $0 |
| Jewett City (Bor.) | $82,736 | -$302 | -$354 |
| Litchfield (Bor.) | $902 | $649 | -$143 |
| Newtown (Bor.) | $129 | $589 | -$76 |
| Stonington (Bor.) | $15,524 | $2,649 | $0 |
| Woodmont (Bor.) | $17,066 | $489 | $0 |
| District No. 1 | $3,282 | -$43 | $0 |
| District No. 4 | $9,737 | $1,552 | $0 |
| District No. 5 | $3,131 | $50 | $0 |
| District No. 6 | $438 | -$5 | $0 |
| District No. 7 | $5,221 | $203 | $0 |
| District No. 8 | $23,912 | -$277 | $0 |
| District No. 10 | $2,437 | -$128 | $0 |
| District No. 12 | $68 | -$1 | $0 |
| District No. 13 | $9,960 | -$706 | $0 |
| District No. 14 | $5,833 | -$506 | $0 |
| District No. 15 | $981 | -$49 | $0 |
| District No. 16 | $2,013 | -$27 | $0 |
| District No. 17 | $6,769 | -$343 | $0 |
| District No. 18 | $2,765 | -$29 | $0 |
| District No. 19 | $56,548 | -$1,097 | $0 |
| Education Conn | $133,169 | -$1,870 | $0 |
| EASTCONN | $30,799 | -$622 | $0 |
| SDE Admin Costs | $1,019,198 | $0 | $0 |
| Blmfld Cntr FD | $4,922 | -$4,922 | -$2,497 |
| Blmfld Blue Hills FD | $92,961 | -$92,961 | $0 |
| Cromwell FD | $0 | $0 | -$2,263 |
| Hazardville FD #3 | $1,821 | $5,354 | $0 |
| Enfield Thmpsnvll | $354,311 | -$354,311 | $0 |
| Manchester - 8th Utility Dist | $436,718 | -$436,718 | $0 |
| Groton: Poq. Brdg FD | $9,445 | $28,724 | $0 |
| Middletown City FD | $910,442 | -$910,442 | $0 |
| Middletown South Fire | $422,586 | -$378,196 | -$1,172 |
| N. Milford FD | $5,737 | $9,578 | $0 |
| Norwich - CCD | $552,565 | -$552,565 | $0 |
| Norwich - TCD | $62,849 | -$62,849 | $0 |
| Simsbury FD | $221,536 | -$221,536 | $0 |
| Plainfield FD | $2,272 | $4,684 | -$309 |
| W. Putnam Dist | $82 | $177 | $0 |
| Wndhm Spec Svc Dist #2 | $640,000 | -$640,000 | $0 |
| W Haven 1st Center | $1,884,490 | -$737,618 | -$1,187 |
| Allingtown | $873,856 | -$584,084 | -$53,053 |
| W. Shore FD | $912,638 | -$749,768 | -$35,065 |
| Various Fire Dist | $844,666 | -$844,666 | $0 |
Image via Shutterstock
Story by Rich Scinto, Patch Staff
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