BET Sets Flat Mill Rate For 2021-2022

GREENWICH, CT— The Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation set the mill rate for the next fiscal year on Monday night, and much to the delight of town residents, it will remain flat.

The BET unanimously approved a Democratic motion to use savings from state healthcare premiums to keep the mill rate flat at 11.590 for fiscal year 2021-2022. The mill rate is used to calculate property and vehicle tax.

Originally going into last week's Representative Town Meeting budget deliberations, the mill rate was expected to increase by .29. But the state of Connecticut revised its healthcare premiums which resulted in the Town of Greenwich saving $2 million.

"The RTM reduced that in their deliberations, and that left the BET in a position where we had revenue set up to be $2 million higher than the expenses," said BET Chair Michael Mason on Tuesday. "So the BET unanimously decided to take $1,150,000 out of the $2 million to bring that third of a point mill rate increase down so there would be a zero increase."

The remaining $850,000 will be put back into the town's general fund, and will be available for things like interim appropriations, Mason said.

BET member and Democratic caucus leader, Leslie Moriarty, said there wasn't much discussion about the motion, and that there was a "general comfort" between board members about the zero percent mill rate increase.

"Last year, the mill rate was reduced, and keeping it flat this year really respects our residents and their contribution to pay for town government, and it also prepares us for the challenges we have going forward," Moriarty said.

Both Mason and Moriarty said it was nice to have a unanimous, bipartisan vote at the end of a budget process that featured disagreements over town spending and party-line votes.

"There was an obvious compromise between the two extreme positions, which is to use it all for the mill rate, or all to the fund balance. I think the outcome definitely makes sense, and it was definitely an easier meeting to work through," Moriarty added.

Up Next For The BET

The BET will hold its year-end meeting in June to put the pieces together for how this fiscal year will conclude.

"We make sure all departments have enough money to finish the year; we're pretty sure they all do this year. Then we look at where we think the year is going to close out, and obviously starting in July, we start talking about a first look and [budget] guidelines in September," Mason said. "It's nice to have a little bit of a break, but there's really no break. It's continuous."

Mason also said the board will be working with First Selectman Fred Camillo this summer to prepare for the receival of COVID expense funds.