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Published by Citizens for a Better Granby a non-profit 501(c)3 organization
Volume L, No. 6 • March 2020
www.granbydrummer.com
The growing Grand List impacts budget I’ve learned that my reference to Cliff Notes in the last issue dated me, and that SparkNotes is trending now. There’s always something new, including at Town Hall. This past month it seemed most discussions revolved around budget preparations, but not everything. Development and trash were also trending topics. of the Read on for an overview, or read the full meeting minutes—eiby Jim Lofink ther here in the paper or online. Grand List grows, which increases Granby tax revenues Every year at this time the Grand List, or the assessed value of all the taxable property in town is finalized. It’s an important factor in budgeting and taxation. Growth had been around a half percent (0.5 percent) for few years. In 2018 it increased to 1.4 percent, and Granby’s 2019 Grand List grew by $17.2 million or 1.71 percent. The good news is that growth will generate over $680,000 in additional property taxes for Granby next year. Where did that Grand List growth come from? The Grand List has three components, and all increased. Motor vehicle values were up $2.5 million, and new business equipment was up $4.2 million. Perhaps
Talk Town
that’s a sign of a better economy, with both residents and businesses buying big-ticket items? Real estate showed the largest growth at $10.4 million over last year and it’s all from property improvements. Every fifth year all homes are re-valued, but not this year; your assessed value stays unchanged for two more years, unless you make taxable improvements. So who did make improvements? Well, almost 80 percent of that $10.4 million increase, or over $600,000 in next year’s taxes, will come from two recent housing developments on Salmon Brook Street: The Copper Brook Circle single-home development added $3.6 million to the 2019 Grand List. The assessed value of $5.7 million for the whole development (as of Oct. 1, 2019) included 21 homes completed on 33 lots, with more built since then. Several Granby residents have moved into this walkable community near the town center; other buyers are new to town. The Ridgewood development, across from Floydville Road, added $4.6 million to the 2019 Grand List, for an assessed value of $8.7 million. The project was started two years ago and on Oct. 1, 2019, there were three completed apartment buildings and two partially completed, plus the clubhouse. Fifty single-family home lots were also approved, but construction has not yet begun.
Growing Grand List cont’d. on p. 11
Celebrating 50
The mid 70s brought change to the Center
Granby’s 1970s growing pains— controversial budgets, development proposals, plans for creating a commercial center in the wedge between Route 189 and Route 20, a school system with growing pains, a failed sewer system and cars lined up for blocks waiting to pump rationed gasoline all shared space on the Drummer’s front page. The hope of a new library, a “fix” for the Center traffic nightmare and the country’s year-long bicentennial celebration that culminated on July 4, 1976, were among the positives that balanced it all. In meeting the challenges of that decade-long journey, Granby was able to move into the 1980s and the growth and change that would transform the town. In 1970, the population numbered 6,150. By 1990 that number had grown to 9,369. The Drummer survived and grew along with the town and now, celebrating its fiftieth publishing year, it is still the voice of the community and the best source of local news. Thank you, Granby for supporting us.—Chris Levandowski
Celebrating 50 cont’d. on p. 22
Inside Granby’s Constitution Oak.. 17
Waypoints....................... 25
Celebrating 50 years.......... 22
Invasive of the Month....... 28
FREE
Learning to Stop the Bleed Granby Public Library and Granby Ambulance Association teamed up in February to offer the nationally recognized program, “Stop the Bleed” at Granby Public Library. In the foreground is Chris Klemmer (l.) and Sam Dyer. The free program is offered again Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to noon. Register at www. granby-ct.gov/library or call 860.844.5275. Photo by Holly Johnson
Finance sets budget guidelines of under 3 percent By Mike Guarco, Chair Board of Finance In February the Board of Finance reviewed revenue and expenditure projections for next year, as submitted by unanimous votes by the Boards of Selectmen and Education and prepared by their respective administrations. After duly considering all relevant information, the Board of Finance, without dissent, set operating budget guidelines of under 3 percent for the FY21 budget that will be submitted by the other two boards to the Board of Finance on March 30. For a decade now, the mill rate change has averaged below 2 percent. It appears this rate could stay the same for the next three years barring any significant shocks in state revenue loss or in costs mandated by the state. Beyond that period it depends upon a host of factors that could make it harder for us as a town to keep the tax rate change as flat as it has been. These include: a) While growth in town brings new tax revenue, it can also bring expense; b) The state can continue its slow reduction of aid to the towns in favor of the cities or its own gaping structural deficit, or it could accelerate it as the
governor proposed last year. c) Last but not least is the simple math that property tax equates to 90 percent of the operating budgets, so for an operating increase of 3 percent it takes an overall increase in taxes of 3.33-plus percent. Some of that comes from growth in the Grand List and the balance from the change in mill rate. The driving force within the budget over time is operating (90 percent) as opposed to capital that is represented by both Small Capital infrastructure and the bonded Debt Service line items. The combined capital for the most part is fairly flat over the next few years, with Small Capital at about $2M and the combined new and existing Debt Service at a similar amount. The biggest component of the two operating budgets is compensation (salaries and benefits) that comprises roughly 75 percent of the operating budget totals. As the contracts go, so goes the budget. In Connecticut, the state sets the rules for negotiations as well as the process the towns must follow. This leads to an environment where overall municipal and school system salaries for Granby are pretty much in the middle third, and statewide the going rate for all
Budget guidelines cont’d. on p. 11
Photo by Peter Dinella