Stamford Property Tax Increase Voted in at 2.42%

District

Mill Rate (per $1,000)

A

$17.89

B

$17.49

C

$16.73

CS

$17.08

Personal

Property

$17.89

Average

Stamford's Board of Finance approved a $17.79 Mill Rate Monday.

The levy is expected to raise $432,315,482 for the city's operating budget next year, and some reserves.

There was lengthy discussion between members about what funds they would include and what they would pass on, like $300,000 in the contingency fund at the request of Mayor Michael Pavia for the library or funding for his fire plan. 

After one particularly lengthy discussion on a point of funding, board member Kathleen Murphy explained her thoughts that it was no longer the time to be having these discussions.

"We don't have a lot of money here," Murphy said. "We are in a tough economic environment. It's not the time to do this and we're not going to fix it all tonight. We shouldn't be [having these lengthy debates] on Mill Rate night. It's ludicrous."

Board member David Martin disagreed.

"I think that's wrong—it jeopardizes our city," he said. "Sometimes you have to call a stop to spending. This is a good time to do it."

"We've accomplished a budget that provides the city with working services and a reasonable tax rate," said Board of Finance Chair Timothy Abbazia. "We went through a lot of extensive discussion but we've got a lot of seasoned members and I think that valid points were brought up."

He said it's all about finding the middle ground that's in the best interest of the tax-paying citizens of Stamford.

"It's a case of balancing parties," Abbazia said. "It's balancing issues, weighing risks and opportunities and I think we came to that spot tonight."

The with a 2.93-percent increase with the budget ringing in at $470.6 million. The Board of Representatives just passed a and a $236 million Board of Education budget.