East Windsor Board of Finance Slices $234,601 From Proposed 2012-13 Budget

Acknowledging the voters’ dislike of their first two budget proposals, the East Windsor Board of Finance Wednesday cut the spending plan another $234,601.

The proposed 2012-13 budget is now $33,903,924 and represents a 1.97 percent increase over the current spending plan. The proposal would mean a 0.35 mill increase in the tax rate to 24.7263 mills, board of finance chairman Jason Bowsza said.

Voters on Tuesday rejected the second budget proposal by an 852-454 vote. The proposed budget would have been a 2.68 percent increase over the current $33.247 million spending plan.

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“The good news with referendum yesterday we had more people turn out,”  Bowsza said. “The bad news is the margin didn’t change at all.”

The third referendum is scheduled for June 12.  Under state statute, the voting hours must be noon to 8 p.m., unless voters decide at a town meeting to change them, officials said.

Board member Joseph Pellegrini proposed the cut saying the increase should be less than two percent based on the rejection of the second referendum by a nearly 2-1 margin. The entirety of the cut should come from the board of education budget, he said.

Pellegrini said the school system will still see an increase of 4.39 percent in the 2012-13 budget.

“As much as we thought the budget we approved was the right one, we’re now two steps back,” Pellegrini said.

Christopher Mickey, board of education chairman, said the school system could handle the $604,000 increase.

“It won’t come without pain,” board of education member Catherine Simonelli said. “Let’s make that clear.”

Board of finance members decided not to making any reductions to the town side of the budget because its increase is only 0.3 percent.

Voters on May 8 the board’s first proposed $34.438 million budget by a 2-1 margin.

Under the town charter, if voters don’t approve the budget within three referendum votes, town officials must take the prior year’s budget and increase it by 2 percent across the board. That default amount will be considered the approved budget under the charter.

Before the board’s special meeting, some residents spoke at a public hearing. All of those who spoke, except for First Selectwoman Denise Menard, urged the board to have the increase at 2 percent or below.

“Obviously the voters have made a statement,” Jack Mannette, former board of finance chairman, said. “They want 2 percent or less. They’re looking for you to do that.”