There was very little discussion among Danbury City Council members last night when approving a $235.7 million budget. The mill rate is set at 27.6, and represents a 2.98 percent increase. The School budget will increase $3.5 million. Much of the increase in funding for the schools is to cover teaching positions for 19 new classrooms in the elementary schools, a new middle school and full day kindergarten.
The city side of the budget includes money for the police department to replace cruisers, video cameras and tasers. There is funding for the fire department for new ladder trucks and pumpers. It also includes a 10-percent increase in grants to the volunteer fire department.
Slight increases in the sewer and water rates will take effect in the new fiscal year, though a senior tax freeze will continue.
The budget includes a $2.3 million paving and drainage program to start this summer. For several years there have been slight decreases to social service funding, but Mayor Mark Boughton says the allocation will remain flat funded this year. The budget includes $5.25 million for pay-as-you-go capital items including IT equipment, police cruisers and airport security upgrades. The funding would also go to a roof replacement program at the schools, Still River drainage and improvements to the WIC building on Main Street.
