Politics & Government

Finance Board Wants Your Thoughts on Darien Spending, Taxes Tuesday

The Darien Board of Finance holds its public hearing on the 2012-2013 budget and wants your thoughts on spending and taxes.

The Board of Finance wants to hear from you, the taxpayers, parents and residents of Darien about what kind of spending and taxes you want in this year's proposed education and town-side budgets.

You're invited to speak at tonight's public hearing held by the board in Darien Town Hall Auditorium, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Last Week Darien Patch reported on what Board of Finance members were saying about this year's budget proposals:

Find out what's happening in Darienwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Personally, I do not feel that's acceptable this year in Darien," [Board of Finance Chair Liz] Mao told officials after they had presented their budgets to the Board of Finance. "We have tried to keep tax increases below 4 percent. [...] You should expect us to take some cuts."

The Board of Finance typically cuts the budgets as proposed by the Board of Educaton and Board of Selectmen. The budget then gets passed on to the Representative Town Meeting, which may cut them further.

Find out what's happening in Darienwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I don't think things are so good in Darien that we can accept a 6.62 percent increase, Mao said. She added that she was only speaking for herself.

Another Board of Finance member, said the proposed budgets are "profoundly out of whack with reality. We're not even close."

Mao asked town taxpayers to make their voices heard on whether or not they want the town services in the proposed budgets or whether they want them cut in order to keep taxes down. She asked taxpayers to email her about the budget at lizsmao@gmail.com.


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