Community Corner

Letter: Vote No on Politicized Budget

To the Editor: 

I am writing as an individual, not as chair of the Vernon Republican Town Committee. Our Mayor and Republican majority on the town council presented two budgets to the citizens of the Town of Vernon which were carefully worked out and balanced the needs of our students with those of our senior citizens and persons in distressed financial circumstances. 

Unfortunately, the Democratic Town Committee politicized the process by urging a no vote at the last referendum. 

Their efforts succeeded.  

Based on statements made by Bill Dauphin, chair of the Democrat Town Committee and Tom Didio, Democrat candidate for mayor, it was  clear that they would oppose any budget presented by our mayor. 

Taking the position that a bad budget was better than no budget at all, several of our Republican Town Council persons stepped aside and  let the Democrats  set the budget which will be voted on on Tuesday.

The Democrats arbitrarily added the sum of  one million dollars to  the board of education budget without any explanation or justification for that increase.  That increase will not do anything to improve the education program in the Town of Vernon, but it will raise  our mill rate by 5.59 percent. 

I have attached a summary of that  mill rate increase as prepared by the Town's finance officer, James Luddecke  In my opinion the budget being voted on on Tuesday represents a significant increase in our taxes for no good purpose.  I urge you to vote no on Tuesday. Please  forward this to your friends  also ask them to vote no on Tuesday.     

Hal Cummings
Vernon

Editor's Note: Here is the chart information repeated: 

Town of VernonProposed Mill Rate for Fiscal Year 2013/2014
Tax Revenue Required - $60,225,190
October 1, 2012 Grand List
INCLUSIVE of Board of Assessment Appeals: $1,734,380,865
Proposed Mill Rate: 35.51
__________
Result $61,587,865

Deduct Elderly Circuit Breaker (142,000)
Deduct Elderly Credit & Freeze Programs (48,000)
Deduct Grand List Adjustments (101,000)
Deduct BAA Estimated Adjustment (17,000)
Deduct Tax Credit for Settled Court Cases (28,000)
Add Grand List Pro-rates 21,000
__________
Result: $61,272,865
Collection Rate: 98.3 percent. 
Estimated Tax Revenue: $60,231,226
__________
Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Mill Rate: 33.63
Proposed Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Mill Rate 35.51
Proposed Mill Rate Increase (Decrease): 1.88
This Budget, if Adopted, Represents an Increase in the Mill Rate of 5.59 percent. 
* * * 
Town of VernonFiscal Year 2013/2014
Budgetary and Revenue Impact on Mill Rate
Fiscal Year 201202013 Budget: $80,599,160
Fiscal Year 2013-2014 BUdget Proposed $82,799,460
Appropriations Increase: 2,200,300 - 2.73 percent
__________
Decrease in "other revenue" - 920,434
Impact to current taxes - $3,120,734
__________
Fiscal Year 2-12-13 Mill Rate - 33.63
Budgetary Impact on Mill Rate ($2,200,300 increase) - 1.33
Other Revenue Reduction in Mill Rate ($920,434 decrease) - 0.59
Combined Mill Rate Increase (Decrease) - 1.88
Proposed Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Mill Rate - 35.51
__________
Percentage Change in Mill Rate
Budgetary Impact on Mill Rate - An increase of 3.95 percent
Other Revenue Reduction on Mill Rate - An increase of 1.64 percent
Combined - n increase of 5.59 percent


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