Greenwich Mill Rate
The final step in the annual budget process took place this week when the Board of Estimate and Taxation set the town’s mill rate for the coming fiscal year.
In a debrief on WGCH 1490 am on Wednesday BET chair Harry Fisher said, “We set a general fund tax rate of 11.712 mills. That’s dollars per thousand of assessed valuation, which is a 2.8% increase.”
He said for people in the sewer district, where there is a tax for sewer maintenance and sewer improvement, the total tax rate will be 11.936.
He noted that Greenwich’s mill rate remains one of the lowest in Connecticut and that last year there was no mill rate increase.
According to the state OPM, each municipality’s Board of Finance or Town Council determines what the new budget figure is and will include all municipal salaries, education budget, any equipment and other purchases needed, local services, etc. Then all other revenues such as federal and state grants are deducted, leaving the amount that needs to be raised by taxes if there is a deficit. The mill rate is determined from this amount.
Use this link to see 2023-2024 mill rates for all cities and towns in Connecticut: Greenwich is at 11.3930. Norwalk is at 25.0855. Darien is at 17.6100. New Canaan is 18.9400. Stamford is at 27.1700. Salisbury comes in the lowest with a mill rate of 11.0000.
Transportation Safety Appropriation
Also, Mr. Fisher said that the BET, in a split vote and after much debate, approved a $500,000 appropriation for transportation safety, of which $400,000 would be paid for by a federal grant.
Fisher noted that money had been rejected in the fiscal 2025 budget.
“I made sure to bring it back because I didn’t think it had a proper airing during our budget deliberations, and there have been a lot of hearings around traffic safety and pedestrian safety,” he said.
“I made sure it passed,” Fisher said.
Back in December 2023, US Senator Richard Blumenthal and US Representative Jim Himes joined the Greenwich Board of Selectmen to announce a $400,000 federal grant for the town to develop a road safety plan. The grant was part of $1.749 million Connecticut was recently awarded as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
In April the $500,000 transportation safety study – of which the town’s portion would be $100,000 – was cut from the budget.
There was a swift response, including letters to the editor and opinion columns, as well as an outpouring of concern about road safety during the recent series of DPW input sessions.
Mr. Fisher cast the deciding vote on the item this week, breaking ranks with his Republican colleagues.
“This is just a study, but people are worried that the implications will be imposing bike lanes on roads, traffic calming like narrowing roads and changing speed limits. They’re worried about the strings that will come with it in the so called, ‘Complete Streets Plan.””
“We’re a suburban town. We’re not a city. You really don’t have room on the roads for bike lanes,” Fisher said.
The vote was 7-5 with Fisher voting with the six Democrats.
See also:
BET Passes Budget 8-4; Some Bi-Partisanship, Some Acrimony April 16, 2024
DPW Input Session #5: “Jawdropping” Speeds on Weaver St, Palmer Hill, Prospect St
Residents Urge Town to Add Crosswalks, Sidewalks, Enforcement in Old Greenwich & Riverside
Central Greenwich Feedback to DPW: “We’ve Talked about the Same Intersections for 20 Years”
Plenty of Feedback to DPW on Traffic & Safety in Byram, Chickahominy, Glenville, Pemberwick