Selectmen, Board of Ed Present Trimmed Budgets to Finance Board

Trimmed-down budgets from both the Board of Selectmen and Board of Education were presented to the Board of Finance on Tuesday with spending increases so small that the town may avoid raising taxes, according to a report in the Hartford Courant.

The Board of Education originally approved a 2015-2016 budget proposal of $67.2 million (increasing spending 2.67 percent from this year), but revised it downward to $66.4 million (a 1.3 percent rise), the Courant reported. The Board of Selectman budget, initially set its budget request at $19 million (increasing spending 1.57 percent from this year). Selectmen later reduced the proposal to $18.8 million (an increase of 0.84 percent).

Some of the major factors driving the increases in the Board of Selectmen’s or “town” budget — salary increases already negotiated, hiring two more police officers and hiring a public works administrator who will, among other things, work with energy conservation projects and green technologies, according to the report. A $12 million capital budget was also presented to the Finance Board. It includes $8.2 million to move the Senior Center from Eno Hall to the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center.

Linda Schofield, a member of the Board of Finance, said the new budgets aren’t expected to result in a tax increase, the newspaper reported. She said her board may trim a bit more spending. The board unanimously approved a public hearing for the town budget.