EAST HAVEN — The Board of Finance recommended a 0.2-mill tax increase to Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. this week in a party-line vote that Maturo said disappointed him.
The original $91.6 million 2019-20 recommended budget that Maturo sent to the Board of Finance earlier this month would have reduced the tax rate slightly, from 32.45 mills to 32.40 mills.
This is an election year, although Maturo has yet to say whether or not he's running.
The Board of Finance, voting 4-1 at a special meeting Thursday night, returned the budget to Maturo with a recommendation to reverse the Mayor's proposed 0.05 mill tax cut in favor of imposing a 0.2 mill increase.
Board of Finance members could not immediately be reached for comment.
"Although I appreciate the hard work and advice of our Board of Finance, I am disappointed that the board is recommending a tax increase at a time when the governor has recommended one of the largest tax increases in the state's history," Maturo said in a written statement.
The vote included Democratic board members Richard DePalma, Richard Esposito Jr., Marc Conte and Noreen Clough in favor and Beth Purcell, the one Republican who attended, voting against.
Republican Ralph Vitale was absent.
The Board of Finance gave the East Haven Public Schools $944,000 more than what Maturo had proposed, said Finance Director Paul Rizza.
The board recommended a $47.94 million education budget, the same as last year. Maturo had proposed a figure that was $944,000 less than last year — an amount equal to the amount the schools expect to receive via a state Alliance District grant, Rizza said.
The Board of Finance's recommendations included cuts in appropriations for police overtime, the contingency fund, gas and electric costs, and the legal self insurance fund. Maturo said he disagreed with some of the cuts, but promised to consider others.
"Although I am absolutely opposed to the recommendation to raise taxes, I think some of the cuts proposed by my Democratic colleagues warrant some consideration," Maturo said in the release.
Under the Town Charter, the Board of Finance must return the budget with its recommendations to the mayor no later than March 23. Within eight days of receipt, the mayor is required to present his proposed budget to the Town Council.
Maturo is scheduled to deliver his 18th combination "State of the Town" and budget address at 7 p.m. Thursday at East Haven High School.
"I am going to be looking very carefully at the Board's recommendations to determine which, if any, may be responsible to include in my budget presentation to the Council next Thursday," Maturo said.