No Tax Increase Proposed In Hoydick’s 2021-22 Budget

STRATFORD, CT — Stratford Mayor Laura R. Hoydick is proposing a spending plan for the 2021-22 fiscal year that carries a mill-rate decrease for the fourth straight year.

Hoydick submitted her $240.4 million budget proposal to the Stratford Town Council on Friday. The budget represents the fourth straight mill rate decrease for Stratford, lowering it from 39.64 to 39.60, according to Hoydick.

Hoydick noted that Stratford “stands out as a community that has held the line once again without raising taxes on residents” as other regional towns and cities have been forced to increase local taxes amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news release.

“We are pleased with our economic and financial successes,” Hoydick said in a statement, “though we cannot separate our economic fortunes from the ongoing pandemic. The human cost of this disease is underscored by the vast economic damage it has wrought – worldwide, and here in Stratford. Despite the State of Connecticut’s continued weak economic growth, Stratford has yielded meaningful growth, which is a credit to our economic development and redevelopment initiatives and the increasing desirability of living and working here in Stratford.”

Hoydick said that despite the difficult overall economic climate in Connecticut, Stratford saw an overall growth of the Grand List of 1.89 percent over the previous year, with more than 145 new businesses opening in town. She added that critical long-term adjustments to funding the town’s pension and bonded debt result in savings of $9.1 million over the bond terms while refinancing has created $3 million in budgetary relief in FY 2022, and $2.7 million each in FY 2023, FY 2024, and $560k in FY 2025.

Stratford has been slated to receive roughly $25 million in federal relief plus $21 million for the school district as part of the American Rescue Plan, but it remains to be determined how those funds will be used, the news release states. Provisions of the Act do not allow municipalities to use these federal funds directly for local tax relief.

The proposed budget represents a 3.96 percent increase on the town operations side, and a 2.25 percent increase for the Board of Education. Town services represent 49.9 percent of the budget, and education represents 50 percent, with Special EMS Assessment representing 0.1 percent.

“The Town Council will now begin its review of the budget, and as in past years, I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with them on producing a budget that serves town residents best,” Hoydick said.

The Town Council will begin deliberations on the budget. The Town Charter requires the council to produce a budget by May 12.