OPINION: Can Windsor Locks Residents Afford A Property Tax Increase?

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — With the change of local newspapers and other media outlets, there seems to be a lack of coverage and communication surrounding this year's proposed 2024-2025 town budget put forth by the Board of Finance. The proposed 2024-2025 town budget currently stands at $59.09 million. The mill rate increases by 1.81 mills to 28.14 mills, resulting in a property tax increase of 6.9 percent. Local property owners will pay $28.14 in taxes for every $1,000 in assessed value of their property. With many residents, including senior citizens, on a fixed income and continuing to face increasing costs in other expenses such as utilities, insurance and food, can the taxpayers afford this property tax increase given the economic realities we are faced with? Not since the late 1990s have we seen such historic increases in the mill rate and related taxes. With so many people being adversely impacted, why would we leave the budget approval decision to less than 100 voters who attend the annual town meeting?

A petition for referendum would allow far more individuals, including seniors who may not have the ability to attend a town meeting or families that might have extracurricular school or sporting related events in the evening, to weigh in on such an important decision. To send the proposed budget to referendum, petitioners would need to gather at least 200 signatures and submit them to the town clerk for verification. At the May 21 town meeting, a time and date for the voters to vote either for or against the 6.9 percent property tax increase would be set and voting polls would be open for at least eight hours, possibly longer, at the two voting districts in town to allow for a much larger portion of the electorate to weigh in on this critical matter. If the town votes down the tax increase, the Board of Finance would then prepare a new budget to present to the town.

The Board of Finance is charged with putting forth a fair and equitable budget that does not overtax the residents. While the total budget increase is only $926,249 or 1.6 percent, the massive property tax increase of 6.9 percent is driven by a significant loss of revenue from various sources, the largest and most serious of which is the decline in value of the town's Grand List. Along with the decline in the value of our Grand List, the town has passed on several robust commercial revenue generating and economic opportunities over the past few years which would have remedied most or all of the revenue shortfall issues the town is currently facing. In addition, the town is currently working through a property revaluation which will significantly increase residential property values and shift more of the tax burden onto the residents. Given the uncertainties on the horizon, is now really the time for such a large tax increase?

While the Board of Finance does not have an easy job, they also do not have final decision-making authority on whether or not to raise taxes. Just over a decade ago, the 2013-2014 budget originally proposed by the Board of Finance included a 5.2 percent tax increase, which is now being dwarfed by the currently proposed 6.9 percent tax increase. A petition for referendum was submitted which resulted in approximately 1,400 residents making their voices heard. Participating in the governmental process and advocating for a referendum does not necessarily mean someone is not in favor of the budget. It means believing in inclusivity rather than marginalizing certain community members.

Mark T. Roger
Windsor Locks

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