Ledyard — In contrast to big reductions made to the school budget proposal last year, the Finance Committee left spending plans largely unchanged in its budget recommendation to the Town Council on Wednesday night.

The Board of Education's $31.2 million budget was left untouched, at a 1.25 percent increase, and the finance board trimmed about $121,000 from the general government budget. The Town Council is expected to make its budget recommendation April 12 and set a public hearing for April 17.

Larger budget requests cut by the finance board were primarily from the police department, including a new police officer position at roughly $60,000 per year, $25,000 in additional overtime funding and surveillance camera coverage of the new police headquarters. To cover those things, the police department had requested a 7.4 percent budget increase. It sought the hike in overtime funds after it over-spent the overtime budget last year due to officer injuries.

After meeting with each town department during the month of March to hear their proposed spending plans, Finance Committee Chairman Fred Allyn III and Councilor William Saums each came with lists of proposed cuts, which included the new police officer position.

"The general feeling was we just transitioned from a resident state trooper town in a former 1880s barn to a state-of-the-art $6.5 million facility," Allyn said, adding that the timing wasn't right for the hiring.

"We know the need won't go away ... we have that huge unknown as all the towns do: what is the state's budget going to look like, and when is the state's budget going to be known?" he said.

Allyn also added that the committee felt that last year's overtime spending was an anomaly based on a review of spending in previous years, and there appeared to be no correlation between having more officers and fewer overtime hours.

Wage increases averaged 2 percent across various town employee union contracts, and the town's contribution to a fund for road maintenance will grow due to a cut in state funding.

The tax rate will rise 0.65 mills, or 2.4 percent, Finance Director Marcia Hancock said.

The budget does not include funding for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposal to ask towns to pay one-third of their teachers' pensions, since the proposal may not pass the legislature.

While Allyn said he doesn't agree with the pension proposal, which he estimated would increase the tax rate by 1.2 mills if the legislature passes it, the town could use its undesignated funds to cover the cost and there wouldn't be a tax impact until next year.

The town meeting and referendum on the budget are scheduled for May 15 and 16, respectively.

n.lynch@theday.com