CT Budget Comparisons by Income Bracket

While reading through the continuous coverage of the proposed Connecticut budget, I came across three articles that most directly highlighted why every taxpayer in the state needs to be very concerned. They are part of a series, written by the Connecticut Post, comparing several hypothetical families in Connecticut and how the budget presented by Governor Malloy would impact them. What was so helpful in this series was that instead of talking in broad terms, they took three distinctly different tax brackets and showed just how much it would affect each of them. I'm sure there are many more comparisons out there and the numbers may vary slightly. However, any way you slice it this is not good and is in fact, deeply troubling.

Here are the three income brackets along with the articles:
(Credit: Connecticut Post)
Low Income - http://bit.ly/evfN4P
Middle Income - http://bit.ly/gRMnfj
High Income - http://bit.ly/e2xDwC

Board of Finance FY11 Budget Votes 04/01/10 - Town Revenue

Board of Finance FY11 Budget Votes 04/01/10

Directory: Town - Revenue

Town - Expenses

WPCA - Expenses

Town/WPCA - Health Insurance

Town Budget - Revenue Adjustments

Interest and Dividends (Page 18)

44001 -$400,000 (Interest and Dividends)

Sale of Town Owned Property (Page 18)

48506 -$500,000 (Sale of Town Owned Property)

General Property Taxes (Page 14)

40010 +$200,000 (Prior Years Levy)

40040 -$70,445 (P.A. 86-178 Phone access lines)

State Grants other than Education (Page 15)

41192 -$36,947 (In Lieu of Taxes - Boats)

41196 +$154,120 (Pilot program non-profit org.)

48202 +$4,596 (Nitrogen Removal Credit)

41131 +27,817 (ECC Enhanced 911)

Charges for Service (Page 15-18)

42312 -$165,000 (Town Clerk - Conveyance Tax)

42351 -$100,000 (Park Dept - Beach Stickers)

42353 -$52,072 (Park Dep - Boat Dockage Fee)

Net Decrease -$937,931

Board of Finance FY11 Budget Votes 04/01/10 - Town Expenses

Board of Finance FY11 Budget Votes 04/01/10

Directory: Town - Revenue

Town - Expenses

WPCA - Expenses

Town/WPCA - Health Insurance

Town Budget - Expense Adjustments

Board of Education (Page 250)

Note: BOS previously voted for 58900 -$100,000

58900 +$100,000 (BOE Budget)

Human Resources (Page 71)

Note: BOS previously voted for 52100 +$200,000

Note: Adjustments now being made separately by department. (+$345,000 if including WPCA)

52100 -$200,000

Registrar of Voters (Page 44)

Note: Transferred to Contingency - To be used in case of primary.

51070 -$20,160

Town Planning and Zoning (Page 50)

58120 -$1,000

Conservation (Page 58)

53200 -$21,100

Miscellaneous Contingencies (Page 68)

Note: Transferred to Contingency

58010 -$10,000

Community and Economic Development (Page 76)

58120 -$1,000

Contingency (Page 86)

58010 +$328,500 (For BOE if ECS percentages change)

58010 +$20,160 (Transfer from Registrar of Voters)

58010 +$10,000 (Transfer from Miscellaneous Contingencies)

Private School Bus Transportation (Page 133)

58500 +$9,780

Finance (Page 140)

Note: BOS previously voted for 53200 +$50,000 for audit. BOF suggested using Contingency instead.

53200 -$50,000

51010 +$20,000

Information Technology (Page 152)

58100 -$10,000

Fire (Page 162)

51061 +$50,000

51062 +$50,000

51065 +$25,000

51066 -$12,000

Police (Page 168-169)

53310 -$8,266

54150 -$28,917

54320 -$5,900

54330 -$10,120

57000 -$33,500

58120 -$2,000

ECC (Page 183)

58120 -$5,000

Solid Waste and Recycling

58120 -$500

South Pine Creek Golf Course (Page 239)

Note: re-priced capital item estimate

57000 -$10,000

H. Smith Richardson Golf Course (Page 243)

Note: Capital Item #1 also appears on CIP pg. 272

57000 -$70,000

Retiree Benefits (Page 254)

52310 -$1,499

52311 +3,617

Health Insurance

Note: Changes were broken out to each department.

Note: Click Here for the breakout.

Overall total of changes: +$330,258

Net Increase +$446,353

Board of Finance FY11 Budget Votes 04/01/10 - WPCA

Board of Finance FY11 Budget Votes 04/01/10

Directory: Town - Revenue

Town - Expenses

WPCA - Expenses

Town/WPCA - Health Insurance

WPCA Budget - Health Insurance (Page 262)

52310 +$120

Net Increase +$120

Board of Finance FY11 Budget Votes 04/01/10 - Town/WPCA Health Insurance

Board of Finance FY11 Budget Votes 04/01/10

Directory: Town - Revenue

Town - Expenses

WPCA - Expenses

Town/WPCA - Health Insurance

Town Budget - Health Insurance Adjustments

Note: Department name and code are listed. All changes made to object code 52100.

1010 First Selectman +$3,215

1030 Town Clerk +$4,279

1070 Registrar of Voters +$713

1110 TPZ +$4,422

1230 Conservation +$5,705

1330 Human Resources +$2,853

1350 Comm. and Economic Dev +$713

3010 Finance +$5,991

3030 Purchasing +$2,139

3050 Assessor +$4,636

3090 Tax Collector +$4,636

3110 IT +$3,566

4010 Fire +$69,655

4030 Police +$80,588

4050 Animal Control +$2,139

4110 Emergency Management +$235

4150 ECC +$10,697

5011 PW Admin +$2,746

5030 PW Ops +$54,201

5050 Building +$4,992

5070 Engineering +$4,992

6010 Health +$23,534

6050 Human and Social Serv +$806

6070 Solid Waste and Recycling +$1,426

7010 Library +$22,108

7050 Parks and Recreation +$4,279

7111 So. Pine Creek GC +$713

7113 H. Smith Richardson GC +$4,279

Net Increase +$330,258

WPCA Budget - Health Insurance Adjustment

52100 Health Self Insurance +$14,742

Net Increase +$14,742

Board of Selectman FY11 Budget Votes 3/30/10

TOWN BUDGET
Human Resources (Page 71)

Note: These adjustments net out to zero changes.
58920 +$58,000
58930 -$1,558,000
58940 +$1,500,000 (New account - "Risk Management Fund - Workers Comp")

RYSAP (Page 88)
Note: Restored to FY10 allocation.
58500 +9,325

Human Resources (Page 71)
Note: This location would serve as a "catch all" reserve fund for all town agencies for health insurance funding needs.
52100 +$200,000

Human Resources (Page 71)
58920 +$50,000

Finance Department (Page 140)
Note: Funds for Town audit.
53200 +$50,000

Board of Education (Page 250)
58900 -$100,000

Net Increase $209,325
FY11 Budget Total as Amended by BOS $251,288,369

WPCA BUDGET (Page 261-265)
Left unchanged from FY11 proposed.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS (Pages 283-284)
Item #3 Moved to separate bond as per below.
Item #7 -$140,000 (Removed per DPW recommendation)
Item #4 +$250,000 (Reinstated per DPW recommendation)
Resolution passed as $1,665,000

Item #3 +$1,500,000 (Restored to full $3mil request)
Resolution passed as $3,000,000

Paving +$2,900,000 (Added to CIP request for FY11)
Resolution passed as $2,900,000
Note: It is unclear at this time if paving would be wrapped into the general ($1.6mil) CIP bond.

Press Statement - 2/23/10

Below is a copy of the statement issued to the Press regarding the RTM vote on our proposed resolution which during a narrow 22-23-1 vote didn't pass.

For a detailed timeline of the resolution process visit http://bit.ly/9x8ta4


Response to RTM vote - Item #6 2/22/10

Although the RTM chose monthly updates from the First Selectman versus forming a committee, our overall goal of promoting transparency and open government unanimously prevailed across party lines. We look forward to receiving monthly updates and will continue to evaluate the best method to receive information as the project moves forward. As members of the RTM, we will continue our outreach efforts to address the concerns and find the answers to our constituents’ questions.

David Becker & Kathryn Braun