Budget Community Meetings Begin

By Ann DeMatteo, Assistant Metro Editor

HAMDEN — One thing is for certain in next year’s town budget: There will be fewer employees and a reduction of services.

“The question is: What people and what services?”

That was the question Mayor Scott D. Jackson posed to a citizen roundtable Thursday night at the M.L. Keefe Community Center.

It was Jackson’s first budget conversation with the public. Another session will take place 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the Miller Senior Center, 2901 Dixwell Ave.

Because of the difficulties facing the town in the preparation of the 2010-11 budget, Jackson wanted to reach out to the residents to gather their ideas. Jackson explained that the biggest driver in the upcoming budget is rising medical insurance costs.

“If we did nothing to try to reduce medical costs, we’re looking at an increase of $7 (million) to $8 million, roughly 2 mills,” Jackson said.

The current budget is $175 million, $125 million of which is funded through taxes. The tax rate is 29.5 mills. Based on town department requests and recommendations for medical and pension costs, the tax rate would jump to 37 mills.

“That is not doable,” said Jackson, who wants to present a budget to the Legislative Council next month that “doesn’t rip out the essential core of Hamden and its services, but doesn’t tax people out of town.”

Except for a suggestion from resident John Melillo to reduce the number of deputy chiefs in the Police Department from three to one, the session didn’t generate ideas for budget cuts. Instead, the nine residents who attended learned more about what goes into making the budget from Jackson and his chief aide, Curt Balzano Leng.

“I liked it a lot. It was more questions than suggestions,” said resident Michael Lockett.

Residents asked about town operations, and gave Jackson the impression they supported schools and libraries.

The cost to regionalize services and a lack of state funding were also discussed.

Jackson said after the meeting that what he heard from residents is that they support the schools and libraries.