The Courant’s town budget story today demonstrates again that a budget fight is shaping up. They’re looking to hike spending by 8.5 percent and to set the mill rate at 31.43 — at a time when 24 mills is about the right number to hold taxes steady for most homeowners.
Now I accept that taxes must rise because expenses go up. But even a 20 percent hike in tax bills brings us to only 28.8 or so. And that’s a killer increase all by itself.
They’re looking to push the average homeowner’s tax bill up by a third.
Of course, the politicians are promising cuts, which is fine. And there may yet be a phase-in that would ease the crunch.
But there’s no way to deny any longer that we’re all about to get slammed. Let the moaning begin.
The West Hartford Blog 