The Bethel Board of Finance has cut hundreds of thousands of dollars from the proposed municipal budget for the coming fiscal year.  The new budget is $31.6 million. 

Taxes would go up by 1.65 percent under the revised proposal, down from the 2.24 percent tax rate hike in the original plan.  $30,000 was cut from school maintenance, $25,000 from police overtime, $5,000 from the senior center, $25,000 from Parks and Rec and $10,000 cut from the building and highway departments. 

Debt service will be offset by some state funding Bethel officials just learned would be heading to the town from the high school renovation project. 

Bethel residents approved the school budget and the capital item during a referendum last week.  The town meeting is scheduled for April 24th at 7pm in the municipal center.