Minutes of the Special Meeting of the Legislative Council
Held in the Reed Intermediate School Library,
3 Trades Lane, Newtown, Connecticut
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Chairman Jeffrey Capeci called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm.
PRESENT: Chris LaRocque, Richard Woycik, Benjamin Spragg, James Belden, Gary Davis, Daniel Amaral, Jan Andras, Kevin Fitzgerald, Mary Ann Jacob, and Chairman Jeffrey Capeci
ABSENT: George Ferguson III and John Aurelia Sr.
ALSO PRESENT: First Selectman Patricia Llodra and 1 member of the press.
VOTER PARTICIPATION: none
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Chairman Capeci was pleased to announce that the unfinished business “discussion and possible action on: 2010 Newtown Budget was finished.
NEW BUSINESS:
Discussion and possible action on: 2010 Town of Newtown Mil Rate –
Mr. Spragg moved to establish the 2010 – 2011 Mill Rate to be 24.0 Mills and to authorize the Finance Director to make any adjustments. Mr. Fitzgerald seconded and following a brief discussion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Spragg told the Council that the Chairman sent him the Finance Director’s calculation sheet (see attachment to minutes). He said he believed that the Council could get rid of the number calculated to the hundredths, 24.03, and set it at 24.0 by assuming the tax collection rate is 99.1% as opposed to 99.0% as listed in the calculation. Mr. Spragg said it will raise $91.5 million and Mr. Tait’s sheet said we needed to raise $91,559,032. He said the tax office worked very hard to attain the 99.1% last year. Furthermore, Mr. Spragg noted that 99.1% was the collection rate last year and that the collection rate to make 99.1% again was “certainly attainable.” For this reason, he recommended the Council set the Mill Rate at 24.0 Mills vs. 24.03
Mills.(See Mr. Spragg’s revision attached to these minutes.)
Following the vote, the First Selectman handed out a copy of the tax distribution (see attachment to minutes) which Chairman Capeci asked to be attached to the minutes as a matter of public record. Mrs. Llodra noted that the tax distribution was updated to reflect the current knowledge and answers the question some have asked as to where the 2.54% tax increase comes from.
First, she explained the increase would have been 2.61% I had there not been some additions to the Grand List.
Second, Mrs. Llodra referred Council members to look at Page 2’s further breakdown of how to apply that understanding. She noted that together the Board of Selectman and Board of Education’s reduced revenues account for 80.31% of the tax increase. The reduced revenue included reduction in reliance on fund balance contribution from $2 million to $1 million. In conclusion, the First Selectman said she has received very positive feedback regarding the approved budget. She added that many expressed relief “the process was over” and others expressed satisfaction as to “where we’re at.”
VOTER PARTICIPATION: none
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mr. Capeci announced that prior to the Council meeting the Education Committee met. He told the Council that Mr. Spragg was the newest member of the Committee and that Mr. LaRocque was appointed the new Chairman of the Education Committee.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mr. Woycik moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:41 pm. Mr. Belden seconded and the motion was unanimously approved.
Ted Swigart, Clerk
* Minutes are not finalized until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
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