Politics & Government

East Windsor Voters Reject Budget at Referendum

Board of Finance will meet Wednesday to work on a new budget that will be presented to voters on May 28.

In an unofficial tally of 903 to 405, East Windsor voters on Tuesday rejected the proposed $35.4 million budget in the first referendum.

Turnout was higher than in recent years, with 1,308 out of 7,812 registered voters, or 16.7 percent, casting ballots.

The proposed budget would have included a 3.69, or $1.26 million, spending increase.

Nearly $21 million of the budget would have gone to education, including an $800,000 spending increase - or 3.96 percent - over current levels.

The town government budget was $14.4 million, and included $714,000 - or a 5.20 spending increase.

Town officials, however, expressed their disappointment not only with the 2 to 1 result, but also the misinformation that was spread prior to the result.

"We have a hard time passing a budget on the first time," First Selectman Denise Menard said. "I'm not surprised. I'm disappointed with the false information that taxes could have gone up 23 percent, that could have affected the outcome.

"We try to give good, fair information. Misleading information is not the right thing to do. It is awful."

The Board of Finance will go back to work on the budget on Wednesday, according to Chairman Jason Bowsza. A public hearing will be held, where the finance board will receive feedback from residents as to how to make the budget more palatable.

After the hearing, the finance board will hold a meeting at which it will come up with another budget.

"The results show we have to take another hard look," Bowsza said. "I'm hopeful for the next referendum that we won't have the type of misinformation and deceitful math we had for this one."

The second referendum will be held on May 28.


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