Town Budget Proposed
One of the toughest things I’ve had to do as First Selectman, and perhaps my entire career, was put together my proposed town budget for the next fiscal year. We are in a terrible position as a town. Our grand list is flat which means no additional tax revenue will be coming in. The amount of aid we receive from the state has been decreased and we have seen a decline in revenues from other areas.
The budget I am presenting does not propose any large new programs. In fact, there are reductions in several places that were necessary to keep the budget growth to a minimum. The three largest areas of proposed increases are road improvements, health insurance, and vehicle maintenance.
The road improvements are necessary as we must protect our infrastructure in Colchester. Roads can deteriorate very quickly and the longer we wait to fix them, the costs rise rapidly. The increase in health insurance is something that all of America is dealing with and Colchester is no exception. Finally, our aging vehicle fleet requires us to spend more money to maintain what we have and keep those vehicles on the road.
There was one area which I chose to propose an increase, and that is in Economic Development. I have always felt strongly that in order for something to succeed, we need to invest in it. If we are serious about bringing more businesses into Colchester to provide more services and expand the tax base, then we need to put some money into the effort. This is why my budget does propose hiring a part time Economic Development Coordinator and I feel strongly that it should remain in the budget. We need to do something to break the cycle we are in right now or we are going to be faced with these same financial hardships every year.
Reductions in Service
In order to keep the budget increase to a minimum, some painful decisions had to be made. All told, my proposed budget will eliminate five positions with some of these positions being reduced to either a part time or seasonal position. Additionally, the budget proposes reducing one Resident State Trooper.
I can’t say that services won’t be impacted by this budget. The fact is that with less staff, some service levels will decline. We may not be able to conduct as many flu clinics or other health related activities. The library may have to cut back in some areas. The bottom line is that I understand the economy we are in right now and that government must face reductions just like everyone else.
The ultimate decision maker on this budget is you, the voter. I have made the best proposal I can base on feedback from department heads, board members, and citizens. The process is not over yet though. The boards still need to hear your feedback so we can make sure the budget we present truly represents your wishes. To get a full listing of all budget meetings, please go to the budget page on our website at www.colchesterct.gov/budget
- Gregg Schuster
First Selectman
Previous Selectman Notes can be viewed at
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