Ledyard — Only two people spoke during Monday night's public hearing on the proposed budget for 2021-22. One speaker urged more spending by the town, the other told town officials to make more cuts.

The $60,295,817 plan increases current spending by 0.27%, while it decreases the mill rate by 3.56%. However, Councilor William Saums, who chairs the finance committee, has said that recent property revaluations will mean tax hikes for most residents. Reduced costs for municipal employee health care accounts for a decrease on the town side of the budget.

The education budget goes up by 1.45% to $33,671,969. Negotiated salary increases account for most of that increase. Some savings will be realized by five teacher retirements, while a special educator for kindergarten through second grade, a preschool educator and a math interventionist will be added. All are full-time positions.

Whippoorwill Drive resident Mike Cherry told town officials at the budget hearing, "I don't think there's enough money in the budget."

Citing numbers from town education officials that show Ledyard's ranking in per-pupil expenditures in the area is low, Cherry said, "We're super efficient (in spending). That's really great, but there's some things we should be doing that we're not doing, because they might cost more money." He said if Ledyard were to rank itself in the middle of the pack in terms of per-pupil spending, it should increase its school budget by $5 million a year.

Cherry suggested Ledyard look into elective courses, or more interventionist help at the elementary school level. "I think we can do more for those that we expect to carry the ball and move forward," he said.

However, 43-year town resident Albert Smith said the proposed budget is too high. "I've seen the budget go up, up, up (over the years)," he said. "We had the COVID outbreak over the past year that closed down schools and other town buildings, but yet we're still stuck with a tax increase. It's gotta stop. I can't tell you what you gotta do, but you gotta cut corners here and there."

The hearing was held in a hybrid format, with comment accepted in person at the high school auditorium, and remotely via Zoom. Both Cherry and Smith spoke in person.

What's Next

Wednesday: The budget proposal goes before the Town Council. Available on Zoom.

May 17: town meeting at the high school. Available on Zoom.

May 18: Referendum, with polls at the Town Hall Annex open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Information about absentee ballots is available through the town clerk's office at (860) 464-3257.

More information: The complete budget document can be viewed on the town's website at www.ledyardct.org.