NAUGATUCK — The deadline to submit petitions to force a referendum on Naugatuck’s 2018-19 budget has come and gone without anyone petitioning for the vote, so the budget is adopted.
Borough Clerk Nancy DiMeo said no petitions were turned in before the deadline on May 31.
The nearly $121.94 million budget increases spending by about $1.5 million, or roughly 1.25 percent, over the current budget. Although spending is going up, the budget decreases the tax rate 0.2 mills to 48.35 mills due to an overall increase in revenue. A mill is $1 in taxes for every $1,000 of assessed property value. Under a 48.35 tax rate, a property assessed at $150,000 will pay $7,252.50 in taxes.
A little more than half of the overall budget is for school spending. The Board of Education’s 2018-19 budget is $62 million, an increase of $316,349, 0.51 percent.
Naugatuck needs a decrease in the budget, and a massive decrease in the Mill rate. Still stinks.