Poll: Four-Percent Increase in Wilton's Operating Budget

The has released its operating budget request on the wiltonct.org website. In total, the town is asking for a 4.07-percent increase in the operating budget.

Fiscal year 2012’s operating budget was . A 4.07-percent increase of that would be $1,401,793 making the 2013 fiscal year town operating budget $31,227,173.

This budget covers municipal funding for the, Human Resources, Board of Finance, , , , Parks and Rec, Social Services, Planning and Land Use, ,, Nursing and Homecare, Georgetown Fire District, Private School Welfare, Rte. 7 bus services, the Wilton Energy Commission, and .

“Many budget requests have remained flat or in many cases have been reduced,” wrote Wilton’s Chief Financial Officer Sandra Dennies in an introductory letter on behalf of the finance department.

“Increases that have been included are limited to those for personnel, health, dental, and life benefits with minor increase in pension and OPEB contributions,” wrote Dennies.

The letter states that the only new operating expense is for new technology in the form of Enterprise Resource Planning Software, a system that will improve the town’s record keeping and “provide a host of improvements,” according to Dennies.

Operating capital increased by 24.96-percent over last year. Bonding projects are set to cost $4,817,955 and include “road reconstruction, acquisition of a new fire truck, open space acquisition, improvements to ambler farm, as well as a shared Data Link project” that would the library, town hall, and WHS, according to the letter.

The entire budget can be viewed here.