courant.com | Small Towns Need Funds After Falling Behind
June 5, 2007
BART RUSSELL
Connecticut's smaller towns in suburban and rural areas rely on state aid to provide their residents and businesses with essential municipal services, such as safe roads, good schools and effective police and fire safety services. Unfortunately, state aid to municipalities was cut significantly in 2003 in an effort to reduce the state's deficit and in many cases has still not been restored to pre-2003 levels.
The result? Towns have had to raise property taxes, and this has placed an even greater burden on already beleaguered local taxpayers. They need, and deserve, property tax relief now.
The Connecticut Council of Small Towns is calling on the governor and legislative leaders to consider the following priorities in drafting this year's state budget and bond package:
The council of small towns strongly supports the efforts of the governor and General Assembly to significantly increase kindergarten to 12th-grade school funding under the state's Education Cost Sharing formula. We also urge support for making long overdue changes to the formula, including eliminating the cap and significantly raising the foundation level, to help all of Connecticut's communities meet their obligation to provide quality education. ..."
