52% Increase in Jewett City Borough Taxes?? Vote NO on Tuesday, May 15th

"Residents and taxpayers cannot afford a 52% increase in taxes paid to the Borough of Jewett City, said Ron Ward, JCP Founder & recent candidate for borough Warden. He continued by stating, "Neither can we afford to eliminate the resident state troopers that patrol our streets."

What's the problem?
Additional revenue is needed to keep our streets safe and provide a tax-break to residents and taxpayers.

What's the solution?
In the past, the Jewett City Department of Public Utilities (Electric & Sewer) has contributed $100,000 to the Jewett City Borough budget. Since the residents of Jewett City own the electric & sewer, it is sorta like shareholders getting paid a dividend when the JCDPU makes its annual contribution to the borough budget.

The residents and taxpayers need a bigger dividend paid to the shareholders for Fiscal Year 2008. By contributing and additional $106k to the borough budget, the JCDPU will enable residents and taxpayers to receive a 4% tax-break and, at the same time, two resident state troopers will stay on the job patrolling our streets.

click here to read the Jewett City Party alternative proposed budget.


5:30 pm on Tuesday, May 15th - Town Hall, 28 Main Street, Jewett City

Vote "NO" on 52% tax increase borough budget

Vote "YES" for 4% tax-break & $106k more from electric and sewer

Non-resident Taxpayers can vote on budget!!


article printed below was reported in The Day on May 12, 2007
Written by Megan Bard

Jewett City Readies To Vote On 2007-08 Borough Budget

Griswold — Although significantly less than the proposed $32 million townwide municipal budget for 2007-08, the Borough of Jewett City spending plan for the next fiscal year still requires borough resident approval.

The Board of Warden and Burgesses will host the borough's Annual Freeman's Meeting on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall first-floor conference room. At that time, residents living within the one-square mile borough will consider and vote on the proposed $454,784 borough budget for 2007-08.

The townwide municipal budget, which also affects borough residents, will be voted on at a referendum scheduled for May 21.

The proposed borough budget is $43,089 more than the current year's financial plan. If approved by voters, the budget will require a tax rate of 2.25 mills. The majority of the borough budget's increase is attributed to salaries for borough positions and retaining two resident state troopers.

The cost for the police coverage next year is proposed as $241,672, a $26,172 increase compared with the current year. The borough pays roughly 70 percent of the cost for the troopers, including office rent and utilities, supplies, training and overtime.

Salaries for other borough employees, including the warden, burgesses, clerk, assessor, treasurer, bookkeeper and tax collector, has increased by $11,917, primarily because the tax collector's position was changed from part time to full time to meet resident demands.

An additional $10,000 has been added to the budget to maintain the fire hydrants.