The Danbury City Council has received a presentation from Mayor Mark Boughton about his budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.  The $257-million plan includes a decrease in the property tax rate.  Of that total, $132-million is for education.  It's a $4-million increase for in school budget, but less than school officials requested to help deal with a continued growing enrollment. 

Boughton told the Council last night that the tax rate can be lowered because of an increase in the tax base after last year's revaluation.  The proposal does include a 2.75 percent increase in water rates and sewer rates by 2.95 percent.  There's a planned renovation of the wastewater treatment plant.  There are no other new initiatives included in the plan. 

While a hiring freeze will continue, there are no plans for new department layoffs. 

The budget proposal represents a 2.6 percent increase in spending.  Boughton, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, was critical of a $5.6 million state revenue cut.