Bite-Sized Politics: Candidates on Taxes

THE ISSUE:

The candidates agree. They think taxes are the number one issue on Darien voters’ minds and that fiscal restraint has never been more important. 

Taxes are largely influenced by the Town Budget, a complex spending plan that takes the good part of a year—and a good number of people—to prepare. Even then, it’s constantly reviewed and subject to amendment.

Costs come in many forms and can include anything from office supplies to major projects. The Board of Selectmen’s purview is limited to the costs incurred by the Town, the Darien Library, and debt service, while the Board of Finance controls those of the Board of Education. Some areas of the budget are elective (a new police department, for example); others are mandated by State (the Town must have a police department, for example).

Funds for the budget ($106,842,422 in 2009) are a combination of direct formula grants from the State, fees, investment income and local taxes. In Darien, taxes pick up the bulk of the "bill" which must balance. 

The Board of Selectmen has control over what goes into the budget to a certain extent, but what they really influence is how the money is spent. For example, one option would be to incur debt, spending large amounts of money to fund major projects all at once. An alternative would be to spread those costs out over an extended period of time.

So while projects are rarely Democratic or Republican undertakings, most have fiscal consequences, which are influenced by decisions of the First Selectman and the Board. 

CANDIDATES ON TAXES:

Callie Sullivan (D)

I am the only candidate with any actual experience balancing the budget of the town of Darien. Last year I worked together with the other members of our Board and the Board of Finance to deliver a 0% increase. We did that by going line by line through the budget, finding savings where we could, placing a freeze on some salaries and stopping all unessential capital expenditures. I would continue to approach the budget from this perspective. I would continue to convene the Financial Review and Strategy committee, which was key in working through our budget challenges.

Chris Noe (I)

The town is generous to the point of being at fault when it comes to the Board of Education. The now 106 million-dollar budget goes up by four percent a year.  It's killing the taxpayer: commercial and residential. It drives seniors from their homes and businesses out of town. We need to work smart on the projects we have. We need to try to expand our tax base. We need to pay off our debt. Unlike the federal government, Darien is in pretty good shape.

Dave Campbell (R)

As I’ve been out and about campaigning, I’ve heard the concern about rising taxes when things are tight. I’m not shy about advocating fiscal restraint in a period of economic recovery; it’s what I’ve done in my business and what leaders everywhere should be doing.

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Bite-Sized Politics: Candidates on Special Education
Bite-Sized Politics: Candidates on Party Lines
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