Directors Announce “Taxpayer’s Budget”

The Republicans on the Manchester Board of Directors announced their ‘Taxpayer’s Budget’ today, keeping their Covenant with Manchester Taxpayers and delivering a budget that controls the tax burden on the Town’s citizens. “We campaigned and won a historic majority on our Covenant with Manchester Taxpayers. Now we are governing by keeping our word,” said Mayor Lou Spadaccini.

The Republican Majority announced the details of their “Taxpayers Budget” today which controls the growth of taxes and spending in Manchester’s General Fund Budget. Manchester’s tax levy will increase by slightly less than 3% which is 2.1 percentage points less than the proposed tax levy in the General Manager’s recommended budget. Under the Republican Majority Budget, virtually every Town department is receiving a budgetary increase that is in line with the cost of living. Including debt service, expenditures in the General Fund will increase $5,765,597 or 3.8% over the current fiscal year’s expenditures. Excluding debt service, the General Fund will increase by $3,510,436 or 2.3% over the current fiscal year’s expenditures.

The Republican Majority Budget will fully fund Manchester’s debt service obligations which have increased $2,255,161 or 33.1%. This dramatic increase in debt service is attributable to bond payments associated with education projects including the addition and renovation of Manchester High School and the renovation of the Bennett Sixth Grade Academy.

The Board of Education will be receiving a budget increase of 3.0% or $2,743,498 over the current fiscal year’s expenditures. This allocation will fully fund what the Board of Education describes as its “level services” budget plus it provides an additional $400,000 which can be used for other purposes such as expenses associated with the reopening of the Bennett Sixth Grade Academy. The sum that the majority allocated for public education represents 98% of the budget request made by the Board of Education and 99.2% of the General Manager’s recommended budget for the Board of Education.

The Public Works department will be receiving a budget increase of 2.9% or $357,327 which will include the funding of a “quality of life” officer to enforce the Town’s property maintenance code. The Public Safety budget will increase by 2.1% or $347,114 and will include funding for increased police overtime and a part-time evidence technician. The Human Services budget will increase by 3.1% or $97,956 and will fully fund the General Manager’s recommended budget for community agencies. The Republican Majority will adopt the General Manager’s recommended budget for Leisure Services which represents a 4.2% or $214,677 over current expenditures. Through a $40,000 allocation to contingency, the Republican Majority will further enhance the funding already in the budget for the East Side Recreation Center. In addition to these initiatives, the Republican Majority Budget includes $30,000 for the funding of a small business advocate, $25,000 for the Capital Workforce Partners Low Income (LIFE) program and $9,539 to fund Manchester’s participation in the 20/10 Clean Energy Program.

Through the use of unallocated capital reserves that will not affect our Undesignated and Unreserved Fund Balance, the Republican Majority was able to find resources outside the General Fund Budget to fund pool and court repairs for the Recreation Department in the amount of $84,000, Public Works heavy equipment purchases in the amount of $40,000 and the space addition or renovation work for the Youth Services Bureau in the amount of $125,000. Another $125,000 of Community Development Block Grant proceeds will be used to further fund the addition or renovation work for the Youth Services Bureau.

The Republican Majority budget preserves the current level of services that Manchester residents enjoy, but controls the growth of spending and taxes in recognition of the economic hardships that taxpayers face.