They want to revise the city charter

The new administration in Ansonia wants to make changes to the city charter. This is a serious proposal and taxpayers have a right to know about the proposed changes. The last change to the charter was by the Cassetti administration. They did so to prevent unreasonable property tax hikes on the citizens of Ansonia. They did that because we had already been through one. 

In 2013, the DellaVolpe administration raised the mill rate by 11.7 mills. That 43% increase was overwhelming for the average taxpayer and was why Cassetti won the next election. That was the same election where Republicans and angry voters to tie changes in the mill rate to the budget referendum process, limiting all such raised to 3% or less. This change in the charter was popular and produced a 43% turnout, which was high for a municipal election where the average turnout for CT was less than 30%. 

The initial charter proposal changes by the current administration included a minimal turnout of 15% of voters in order to reject any budget changes. To say it differently, if less than 15% of Ansonia citizens came out to vote, the budget would automatically pass. This element provoked backlash and has since been dropped. However there are further provisions which are troublesome for Ansonia citizens. 

Currently, the budget is constrained by money coming in from property taxes. More than a 3% increase in the city budget must be addressed in a city referendum. It’s a seatbelt for those of us who are paying for city services. The current administration wants to change that 3% limit on taxes, to a 4% limit on their spending. That’s like taking the lock off your front door and putting up a sign that says ‘Please don’t break in.’ It’s an incentive to spend money that isn’t there and incentives matter. Even assuming the current administration treats this limit responsibly, it still leaves the door wide open for future abuses. 

There are plenty of ways to make spending look less than it is while still raising taxes; putting off raises and hiring, shuffling where the money comes from, and shifting receipts. It might be a tradition to blame a previous administration for all current problems, but it’s up to the citizens of a municipality to keep a close eye on what their elected officials are doing and keep limitations on spending in place. That’s good for everyone.