Primer Guide to the 2011-12 Town Budget

The 2011-12 town budget will determine the quality of your children’s education, the property taxes you pay and even how often Compo Beach is groomed. You better speak up while you can about where you want your tax dollars to go.

In the past two years, determining the budget has been a difficult process literally marked with anger and tears as people fight for the things they feel essential. Economic realties make it impossible to please everyone. Like the last two years, this year will be marked with austerity. Layoffs are likely. Health insurance costs are rising. The pensions are underfunded.

The numbers don’t lie. In the three annual budgets from 2005-2008, government spending increased a generous 11 percent. In the three budgets since the collapse from 2008-2011, overall spending has only gone up 3 percent.

Two budgets, one for the schools and the other for town departments (police, fire, library, etc.), are worked on separately, but taxpayers fund both. In the schools, Superintendent Elliott Landon a $98.76 million budget, a 2.79 increase from last year.

Currently, the Board of Education is going through the budget and making changes as needed. They will eventually put their name on the budget before it goes to the next step.

As this is going on, First Selectman Gordon Joseloff is working with department heads to determine the town budget. It’s not finished yet, and no numbers have been made public yet.

Once the two separate entities finish, the budgets go to the Board of Finance. The town’s 7-member fiduciary body has the power to set the size of the budgets. In past years, they’ve mandated further reductions and sent the Board of Education and Joseloff back to the drawing board.

When the Board of Finance approves the budgets, it goes to the Representative Town Meeting. The town’s 36-member legislative body can reduce the budget further if enough votes are garnered. They are the final step towards approving the 2011-12 budgets. The last major act is performed by the Board of Finance. They crunch the numbers and vote on what the mill rate (tax rate) should be in the coming fiscal year.

It’s a lengthy, convoluted and at times intimidated process. It’s a clichéd to say it, but you can make a difference. Joseloff wants to hear your concerns at budget@westportct.gov. The Board of Finance can be e-mailed at bof@westportct.gov. You can also look up the RTM represenatives from your district here.

But perhaps the best way to convey your thoughts is to speak up at a public meeting. Here is a schedule and description of the 2011-12 budget process. Public discussion is encouraged at most, if not all, of these meetings.

•  Jan. 18 (7:30 p.m. at Staples High School): The Board of Education will meet with the Board of Finance to dicuss expensive benefits and health insurance, which eat up a large portion of the education budget. (Editor's note: This meeting has been cancelled due to the weather.)
• The Board of Education usually meets every two weeks, but they will be meeting more often as they work on the budget. Meetings are scheduled for Jan. 24, Jan. 31 Feb. 7 and 14. They are also scheduled to meet March 7 and March 21. Budget matters will likely dominate those meetings.
• Feb. 14-16 (6:30 p.m. in room 309/07 at Town Hall):  The Board of Finance will be receiving preliminary budgets from all town departments and giving their input. On the first night, the Police Department, Fire Department and Department of Public Works is on the agenda. On the second is Human Services, Information Technology, Parks and Recreation and Earthplace, a nonprofit organization that receives funding from the town. On the final night will be transportation, health insurance, pensions and miscellaneous items.
• March 2 (Town Hall). This is a big night. The municipal and education budgets will be presented to the Board of Finance. While there will be no action that night, public discussion is encouraged.
• March 22 (7:30 p.m. Town Hall): Another big night. The Board of Finance will weigh in on the municipal budget. They might be happy with the numbers presented, but that is unlikely. They will probably ask for some cuts. If needed, the meeting will continue on March 23.
• March 24 (7:30 p.m. Town Hall): On this day, it’ll be the same process with the schools. Board of Finance members will debate and discus the merits of the budget, and public input is encouraged. The proposed school budget will either stay as is or shrink.
• April 6 (Town Hall): After the previous Board of Finance meeting, both the schools and the town will weight their options. They can both ask to have money restored to their budgets, which has happened in the last two years. The Board of Finance’s say on the budget is final. Their orders must be followed.
• May 2-4 (Town Hall): This is the final (and most grueling) step before the budgets are finally approved. The Representative Town Meeting has the final say, and they have the power to make recommendations about what should happen to the budget. In the past two years, motions to restore money to the budget failed because of not enough votes in the town’s legislative body. Public discussion is not only encouraged at the meeting, but expected. It’s the final chance to speak up.
• May 18 (Town Hall): This is a quick and quiet meeting, but still important. The Board of Finance will set the tax rates for the 2011-12 fiscal year. How much –or how little – you pay will be determined on this night.