North Haven home owners can look forward to increased property taxes of about $74 for the upcoming year. The Board of Finance set a new mill rate of 26.54 at its meeting last night, a slight increase from the 26.52 rate the Board of Finance originally planned to levy in accordance with the town budget that passed Tuesday night.
Only one town resident spoke in opposition to the new mill rate during public comment. Ann Ruocco, a long time activist who has spoken out against budget increases at past town meetings, reiterated her opposition that the capital expenses included in the budget led to the increased mill rate.
“I’m unhappy with the budget process. We have to find out what to do with the way capital expenses are put into the budget,” she said.
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She also said capital expenditures, which include a new fire truck and dump truck for the town, were not annotated on the referendum ballot, which meant voters were unaware that they are paying for them.
Ed Swinkoski, the town’s director of finance and administration, said the mill rate is based on town revenue from home owners taxes and state financing. The Board of Finance increased the collection rate to 98 percent from 97 ¾ percent, meaning the town will collect a higher share of taxes to increase revenue.
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Meanwhile, the town may have to make up a state deficit resulting from lower income generated by sales tax and real estate conveyance tax. According to Swinkoski's estimates, the state originally planned to pay North Haven $389,376 in retail sales taxes, and $150,000 for the retail conveyance tax. Now, it plans to combine the two into a single $202,250 payout.
The town’s $1,194,569 payout from the manufacturing machinery and equipment tax is higher, but Swinkoski said, “We picked up $94,569 from MME but dropped $242,557 from retail sales and conveyance taxes, so that led to the increased mill rate.”
The state budget it still pending, but that did not prevent the Finance Committee from lamenting the state’s fiscal woes.
“The revenue side is in flux because the state has never been this late before,” board chairman Richard Monico said.
“If the state decreases revenue, we can’t increase the mill rate, but we’ll decrease spending," First Selectman Michael Freda said.
Six of the seven board members voted in favor of the 26.54 mill rate, with one no vote from Michael Hallahan.
Home owners will receive their next tax bills in June.
