Spring Tasks

By Matt Riiska

April is always a busy month, planting gardens, cleaning up the yard, getting high school seniors ready for graduation—and budget time.

This year’s budget preparation has been difficult at best. Given that contributions from the State of Connecticut have been reduced by $103,000; the state Education Cost Sharing funds for the Town of Norfolk is 0, property assessment revaluation costs are $28,500 and the state-mandated town plan is $16,000, we are behind by $147,500. This equates to a half mill increase before we consider the rest of the budget. Members of the Board of Finance are doing what they can to keep a budget increase to a minimum while still maintaining the town and making the improvements that need to be done. After last evening’s budget hearing, we are looking at a 4.5 to 5.5 percent increase in taxes. None of us enjoy seeing a tax increase, but we need to maintain what we have.

There are some good things happening this spring. Aside from the Red Sox being in first place in the AL East, the old ambulance building and the white building next to the Town Hall will be down by the time you read this. This is significant. There have already been discussions of what we will do with these now empty sites: expansion of the firehouse, a community center, a home for an indoor farmers market. All great ideas, but first we need to get through this year’s budget process.