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WILTON, Conn. Residents got a look at the Board of Selectmens $30.6 milliion budget for 2013 Tuesday evening at a public hearing at Middlebrook Middle School, and not everyone was pleased. The selectmen's request represents a 2.71 percent increase over last year's outlay.
Ed Papp said he found a copy of the 2000 selectmens budget in his house and that it was $15 million and the schools budget was $30 million. He pointed out that the budget has doubled in 12 years.
Thats a worrisome trend, and it hasnt gone up as much as the school budget has, but going from $15 million to $30 million is a big jump, and I dont know exactly where the issues are, Papp said.
He said the Board of Finance set the increase rate at 1.75 percent and the selectmen should do their best to get to that number.
Resident Deborah McFadden took a contrary view. "I do support the Board of Selectmen budget as presented and I do support all the projects, she said.
First Selectman Bill Brennan said, Developing a cost-efficient budget is not an easy task. He explained that he asked all the departments to come to him with budgets as close to flat as possible.
There was also a presentation on the $9.428 million in capital bonding proposals, which include $3.3 million for roads restoration, $695,000 for a new tanker at the Fire Department and $3.185 million in school renovations.
After several years of not proposing capital bonding projects, Brennan said that since rates are historically low now is the time to take on these projects.
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