30-04-2025
Southwick budget increases 2% over previous year
SOUTHWICK — Despite the Finance Committee requiring every department in town to submit a budget 5% less than the previous year, early estimates of the property taxes needed to fund the town's budget for fiscal 2026 indicate taxpayers will be paying more, and it is primarily because of an $865,000 increase to fund the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District.
'The problem is mostly around the schools and the assessment for the schools,' said Select Board member Douglas Moglin during a joint meeting between the board and the Finance Committee Monday night to hammer out the final details for the fiscal 2026 budget.
'We have to make some cuts to make sure the budget works,' said Town Accountant Laura Fletcher during the meeting.
'Unfortunately, there were some increases to the school assessment … we were hit with [increasing the amount of funding for] out-of-district students,' she said.
That assessment was a nearly 12% increase for the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District's over last year's budget.
According to the budget approved by the Select Board and Finance Committee Monday, the district's assessment to the town for fiscal 2026 will be $14.4 million, which is nearly half of the $28.6 million in estimated revenues needed to cover all government operations for the upcoming year.
The primary driver of the school district's increase is the assessment Fletcher referred to, which is $737,164 to pay tuition for students who choose to attend vocational or technical schools outside the district.
Last year, the district learned that Southwick taxpayers had been inadvertently paying out-of-district tuition for Granville and Tolland students.
There was some expectation that once the state began allocating Chapter 70 funding to Granville and Tolland to pay for its students to go out of district, Southwick's taxpayers would get some relief from the school assessment, which Select Board member Jason Perron mentioned during the meeting.
'We were looking at some savings, but it didn't turn out that way …everything's going up,' he said referring to an increase in health insurance costs for district employees and town employees.
Finance Committee Chair Joseph Deedy said during the roundtable budget discussion every available cut that could be made to this year's budget had been made, but he was worried about next year's budget.
As the Finance Committee began developing the budget earlier this year, the heads of every department in town were asked to submit a budget that was 5% less than last year — last year's budget was level funded.
'Most departments were fine with it … they get it,' he said, but added he was worried about the future.
'I'm scared for next year,' referring to the school district's budget.
He talked about how the town generates its revenues, which is primarily through property taxes.
The town is projected to have property tax revenue of $26 million for fiscal 2026, $746,018 more than last year's $25.26 million.
But that could change if property values decreased, Deedy said.
'Housing is our growth. We're going to slow down as new growth goes, but if we lose any value on the housing side, we're done … we're done for next year,' he said.
Fletcher reminded the board and committee members that the property tax revenues used to build the budget were estimated and could change.
Because of that, the estimated property tax increase expected to be approved in October has a difference of 30 cents.
The current property tax rate is $15.57 for every $1,000 of assessed value.
The expected rate for next year is between $16 and $16.36, according to budget documents.
There were also several capital requests by the Police Department and DPW cut from the budget.
The Police Department requested $21,000 to purchase a new fingerprint machine and $10,000 to pay an outside consultant to update the department's policies and procedures, which Perron, who serves as a police officer in Westfield, had an issue with.
'Why are you not writing your own policies and procedures?' Perron asked Police Chief Rhett Bannish.
Bannish said it was the most cost-effective way to update the regulations, instead of having him, with a salary of over $100,000, spend the time needed to do it.
Perron, speaking of his experience, said his department does it.
'We don't do it all at once,' he said, again referring the Westfield Police Department.
That prompted member Diane Gale to ask if his department had the assistance of an attorney.
'Yes,' Perron said.
'We don't,' Gale shot back.
Then Perron said he had called several police departments in the area and learned that most write their own policies and procedures.
'I'm not a fan of hiring an outsider to come in and write our policies,' Perron said.
Bannish then spoke directly to Perron.
'I trust you'll give me a list of the chiefs that write their own policies,' he said.
Moglin then got involved. He said it was his understanding that the department's fingerprint machine 'would live to fight another day' after it had been serviced.
Bannish said a technician had rebooted the machine and it appeared to be working properly now, and added if the issue couldn't be resolved, the company would provide another machine for free.
Moglin suggested using $10,000 of the $21,000 needed for a new machine and putting it toward the policy and procedures update, which was approved.
The Police Department nearly always gets funding for two new cruisers each year.
This year it asked for a cruiser and a truck, which would be used to pull the department's boat.
Instead of purchasing a new truck, it was decided to rebuild its motor, which Moglin was not 'thrilled about.'
'We'll throwing good money after bad on that truck,' he said.
He warned the committee and board that the truck request would be made again, if not next year, at least the year after.
'I don't think it's the best use of the town's money,' he said.
When the board held a vote to approve spending $20,000 for the truck's repair, Moglin voted no, with Gale and Perron giving it a thumbs up.
As for the DPW, it was announced that the roll-off truck it requested, and initially approved by the Finance Committee, would not be purchased this year because replacing the compactor, an $80,000 capital expense, at the transfer station was needed more.
And the pickup truck it requested to replace the truck used by DPW Supervisor Rich Bozak was nixed.
Department Budgets for fiscal year 2026
General Government — $3,118,329, which is a 1% decrease from last year.
Public Safety — $4,080,108, which is a 6% increase primarily because of the Police Department budgeting for an additional officer.
Public Works — $2,087,749, which is a 1% increase from last year.
Human Services — $412,341, which is a 5% decrease from last year.
Culture and Recreation — $736,404, which is a 1% increase from last year.
Total Debt, Interest and Insurance — $3,184,568, which is a 1% increase from last year.
Total General Government — $13,615,344, which is a 2% increase from last year.
Sewer Department — $1,396,526, which is a 4% increase from last year.
Water Department — $1,575,736, which is a 2% increase from last year.
EMS — $1,592,272, which is a 4% decrease from last year.
