Just 5.33 percent of the town's registered voters turned out at the polls on May 10, but the majority of those showed they rejected the Town Council's proposed $47.32 million budget because the bottom line is too high.

Town Charter requires a minimum of 15 percent voter turnout at the polls to compell the Town Council to act on the annual budget referendum advisory vote. Without that compelling percentage, the Town Council will pass its recommended budget.

Of North Branford's 8,731 registered voters, a total of 465 came out to vote May 10, with 375 deciding the budget is too high, 82 accepting the proposed budget, and eight registering dissaproval due to the budget being too low.

The town's 2011-2012 budget of $47,321,396 becomes effective July 1. It will set a new mill rate of 27.77 mills, an increase of nearly four percent over the current mill rate.

The referendum vote breakdown of the town's two polling places, as provided by the Town of North Branford, shows District 1 received 201 votes of 4,709 electors (4.27% turnout); voting as follows: "I accept the budget" 31 votes; "I reject the budget - too high" 168 votes and "I reject the budget - too low" two votes.

District 2 received 264 votes of 4,022 electors (6.56% turnout); voting as follows: "I accept the budget" 51; "I reject the budget - too high" 207; and "I reject the budget - too low" six votes.

Townwide, total voting response from 465 electors (5.33% turnout) added up as follows: "I accept the budget" 82; "I reject the budget - too high" 375: and "I reject the budget - too low" eight votes.