Spending Reduced in Selectman's $4.32M Budget Proposal

Town spending would drop for the fourth straight year under Killingworth First Selectman Cathy Iino's 2012-2013 proposed budget, a $4.32 million plan presented to the town's finance board on March 13.

"We're kind of holding steady," Iino said about the proposal which would reduce overall town spending by $124,147, a 2.8 percent decrease from current levels.

See attached PFD for proposed 2012-2013 Killingworth budget.

Along with a reduction in town spending, taxpayers in Killingworth should also see some relief under this year's proposed school budget due to a shift in enrollment.

Region 17 Superintendent Howard Thiery proposed a earlier this month. While the budget calls for an overall 0.89 percent increase, Killingworth's share of the budget is $16.73 million, a decrease of 1.7 percent from current school spending.

"That's not a bad job for [District 17]. I think they can do a little better. I would encourage them to do a little better," Killingworth Board of Finance Chairman John McMahon said. "I think the Board of Selectman did a really great job. But I've already found a couple of things that we can do to reduce it even further without hurting a thing."

Both McMahon and Iino agreed that difficulty lay ahead when the finance board sets the town's mill rate, which has remained steady over the past several years but will be increased due to in the town's grand list.

"For most taxpayers, [their taxes] should more or less be the same," Iino said. 

"Taxes are a component of spending, not of the mill rate. The mill rate is just the measuring stick," added McMahon, who was optimistic that both budgets would be reduced further.

"We're just at the beginning of the process," he said.

Click here for a budget timeline.