Vote "Yes" for Tolland's 2015-2016 Budget Referendum

Fellow Residents of Tolland,

By now you’re aware that the mill rate increase required to support Tolland’s residents is 2.31. By now you’re aware that the value of nine of ten properties in Tolland fell by as much as 10%. And by now you’re aware that even as property values have fallen, the town budget is increasing.

Many of you are asking, “Why are we spending more? Shouldn’t we minimize spending?”

The answer of a responsible government to that last question should always be “Yes.” A responsible government should spend as little as possible to deliver the services that its constituents want and need.

But our community can’t have the services that we want, the level of education that our children need, or the property values that we desire if the town spends less than the appropriate amount to make these things a reality. In fact, sometimes we have to spend a little more, as this year’s minimal budget increase demonstrates.

Part of this minimal increase reflects the continuing rise in costs we face year in, year out. Contracted salaries, insurance costs, raw materials and equipment costs all increase like clockwork. And though we have not added any new services in this budget, our legislature and governor seem determined to shift as much tax burden to towns as they can through unfunded mandates. Changing the attitude in Hartford seems to be the only way to reverse this trend.

Meanwhile, the Board of Education and Superintendent have made sensible cuts wherever possible, increasing spending only to make long-overdue improvements and to address new mandates. They must maintain the level of service that our community expects and which the law requires. They’ve made the difficult decision to cut fifteen staff positions, including ten teachers. In any case, an amazing 94% of the Board’s budget is essentially outside their control.

And we certainly want higher property values; Tolland’s Grand List decline accounts for over half the mill rate increase. Even though 20,000 people left the state last year, two moving companies reported that they relocated over 2,300 households into Connecticut. We may not be able to reverse the outflow of businesses from Connecticut, but we are trying to make Tolland attractive to those who are already in Connecticut or want to move here. We can’t do that by slashing and burning Tolland’s services.

Maintaining Tolland’s services and our property values is why I’ll vote “Yes” on May 5.

Respectfully,
Bill Eccles,
Resident, Neighbor, Councilman