Newtown Voters Head Back To Polls For Revised Budget Referendum

NEWTOWN, CT — Newtown residents will head back to the polls Tuesday to vote on revised town and school budgets after voters rejected the original proposal during last month’s referendum.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 19.

The updated proposal includes about $471,000 in cuts to the town budget and $400,000 in reductions to the school budget following a series of changes approved by the Legislative Council earlier this month.

The revised proposal includes a $50,982,037 town budget and a $95,561,919 school budget, for a combined $146,543,956 spending plan — a 3.48 percent increase over the current budget.

If approved, the budget would increase the town’s mill rate from 28.78 to 29.30 mills — an increase of about 1.96 percent.

Voters previously rejected the proposed budgets during an April 28 referendum, with both the town and school spending plans failing by similar margins.

Among the reductions approved by the Legislative Council were cuts to road funding, Youth and Family Services, tree removal, a mid-year police hire, building department staffing and several technology and equipment expenses.