North Stonington to vote June 4 on proposed 2018-19 budget
North Stonington — After a public hearing earlier this week, town officials have sent the proposed 2018-19 budget to a June 4 referendum with no changes.
The $19.9 million proposal consists of a $5.07 million general government operating budget and a $13.5 million education budget. It also allocates $1.02 million for debt service and $319,593 for capital projects and would increase the tax rate from the current 28 mills to 28.7 mills.
The polls will be open on June 4 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall.
The total budget represents a 3.48 percent increase overall from the current spending plan, including a 1.44 percent increase in the general government operating budget and a 4.97 percent increase in the education budget. Much of the school spending increase has been attributed to contractual obligations and spending on things the school district spent nearly no money on last year during a spending freeze.
Among those items are instructional supplies, library books and textbooks.
Another factor that contributed to the increase in the proposed budget is that it calls for making a $750,000 payment on the debt for the school modernization project. In the current fiscal year, the town made a $500,000 principal payment on the school project.
Last year, residents did not have the opportunity to vote on the budget until November because town officials held off on proposing a budget until there was more clarity regarding the state's budget situation. However, this year officials got an earlier jump on the budget process and after holding a budget hearing this week, felt comfortable putting the proposed budget before voters.
Before the budget goes to referendum though, residents will also have the opportunity to discuss it a Town Meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 21, at the library.
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