Politics & Government

BET Budget Committee OKs $380 million Budget; 2.75 Percent Tax Increase

After nearly 6 hours of deliberation, the Board of Estimate and Taxation's Budget Committee approved a $380 million budget for 2013-14.

 

After nearly 6 hours of deliberation Thursday, the Board of Estimate and Taxation's Budget Committee approved a $380.2 million budget for 2013-14.

The budget—which includes the town's operating and capital improvement budgets as well as the Board of Education's spending plan—if approved by the full BET on March 21 and the Representative Town Meeting on May 13, will mean taxpayers will see the mill rate increase from $10.389 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $10.675.

Find out what's happening in Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The budget is 3.4 percent more than the current budget of $367.7 million.

Highlights from yesterday's discussions and votes included what officials described as an "alignment" in the Greenwich Police Department staffing and salary account.

Find out what's happening in Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The committee voted to cut 10 positions or $600,000 from the salary account, thereby reducing the authorized strength of 155 officers in the department. Budget Committee Chair Joseph Pellegrino said that historically the department has not been at its full strength.

Police Chief James Heavey explained that while he has hired 13 officers within the last year to reach the authorized staffing level, 12 officers have retired.

Pellegrino said that when the department has candidates to hire and place in the state police academy, Heavey and First Selectman Peter Tesei, who's also the town's police commissioner, can request additional funding.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Interested in Greenwich's news, events, community bulletins, blogs and businesses? Sign up for the free Greenwich Patch daily newsletter, "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Heavey was concerned with the timing of making funding requests because state regulations mandate that candidates must be offered an available position before completing physical, psychological and polygraph testing. Those tests must be completed before an officer candidate can attend the police academy. Heavey said that many times, placement at the academy is available on a standby basis—there isn't guaranteed admission.

Pellegrino said, "We’re still stuck with a structural gap ... reduce the table of organization and call a spade a spade but you can still go out and still try to hire. Go get them, hire them and get them on the road…come back to us, we’ll put in the table of organization."

Tesei said, 'The BET is getting into an area of micromanaging the police department. If it means going to the BET for an appropriation, then that action  would need approval by the RTM."

Other hot button issues generating discussion at the committee's decision day meeting included:

  • $2.3 million was added to the budget to accelerate the Cos Cob Park project on the former Cos Cob power plant site near the Cos Cob train station. "This has languished for a long time and it is a blight until it is completed," Pellegrino said. "This is a site with a playing field, the faster it is put in the better for the Board of Ed which will need a field with soil contamination (cleanup at Greenwich High School).
  • $1 million was added to the proposed $2.5 million annual road paving program.
  • $200,000 to continue engineering and design work for the Byram Park pool and renovation project. Committee member Leslie Tarkington said that while she supports the project, she would vote against the appropriation because of concern that the town already is tackling for major construction projects this year, including the Central Fire House, the Greenwich High School MISA project and Project Renew at The Nathaniel Witherell nursing home. Pellegrino said approval of the money would help the Junior League of Greenwich launch its fundraising campaign to help finance the project.
  • 2 percent raises or $925 increases for the Tax Collector and Town Clerk who each earn $92,350. Committee Member William Finger's proposal to cut the tax collector salary by 50 percent failed. The raises are in line with 2.5 percent raises negotiated for other town managers and a 2.25 percent increase for the First Selectman who earns $126,000.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here