Tax Rate Decrease Approved In Stratford Budget

STRATFORD, CT — The Stratford Town Council approved a budget for Fiscal Year 2021-22 that further reduces the mill rate decrease in Mayor Laura Hoydick’s proposed budget.

The council approved the budget during a special meeting on Tuesday night. The approved budget reduces the mill rate, while maintaining services and making other modifications, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.

The $241 million budget reduces the mill rate to 39.47. The current mill rate is 39.64.

The budget, which received support from all six Republicans and one Democrat in favor, marks the fourth straight year that the mill rate has been reduced. Those voting in favor of the budget were Councilors Chris Pia, David Harden, Ken Poisson, Bill Perillo, Jim Connor, Bill O’Brien, and Laura Dancho.

Hoydick praised the work of the Councilors and their “diligence in working with her and her administration to achieve a balanced budget for the town,” according to the news release.

“The past year has brought challenges in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic that we never thought we would ever face,” she said. “Despite those challenges, we have had meaningful growth – a credit to our economic development and redevelopment efforts, and the increased desirability of living and working in Stratford. I am proud that most of the Town Council aimed to work collaboratively to adjust our budget proposal and arrive at our fourth mill rate reduction in a row.”

Included in the adjustments made to the budget were the restoration of $55,000 of funding to the Stratford Library, and an increase of a grant writer position from part-time to full-time.

Hoydick noted that while other regional towns and cities have been forced to increase local taxes, particularly while mounting local responses to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Stratford “stands out as a community that has held the line once again without raising taxes on residents.”

“Stratford continues to run effectively and efficiently,” said Town Council Chairman Chris Pia (R-1). “I thank the Council for passing another budget that lowers the mill rate and the mayor and her team for working so hard to lead Stratford through an unprecedented year.”

The budget represents a 3.86 percent increase on the town operations side, and a 2.25 percent increase for the Board of Education, according to the news release. Town services represent 49.9 percent of the budget, and Education represents 50 percent, with Special EMS Assessment representing 0.1 percent.

Councilor David Harden (D-4) said he was pleased to work with the council majority on the budget and was disappointed other Democrats didn’t join him.

“This administration has leaned forward and worked hard to collaborate with the Council – we even had one unanimously approved budget in 2019 – and I appreciate the extra work it takes to collaborate like that,” Harden said. “I think the final budget represents an important tax rate reduction, and a continuation of the progress we have made.”