Ledyard’s proposed budget cut by $1M with 6-2 council vote

Mill rate would increase by 1.89 in spending plan

Ledyard — The Finance Committee and Town Council voted Wednesday night to cut $1 million from the proposed municipal budget, sending a $53.8 million spending plan to a town meeting on May 16.

The council voted 6-2 to make reductions in the general government and education budgets, with councilors Steve Eichelberg and Louis Gabordi voting in opposition.

Councilors noted the reaction of many residents at the public hearing who spoke out against the proposed increases.

“In my honest opinion what was put forth was not a responsible budget,” Councilor Kevin Dombrowski said of the Board of Education’s 4.2 percent proposed increase, be- fore voting for the reduction.

“I think we’re saving them from a future reduction or a cut because once the budget is defeated, it becomes a bloodsport,” said Linda Davis, the council chairman.

The proposed budget would increase by 0.4 percent over the current fiscal year.

The school budget, at $30.8 million, would increase 1 percent over current spending. The general government budget was whittled to $22.9 million after $87,469 was cut.

As proposed, the mill rate would increase by 1.89 to 32.29.

During deliberations, the school budget was reduced by a total of $1 million, and $ 200,000 was moved into the town’s capital improvement fund to fix some of the high school’s ailing bathrooms.

Board of Education Chairwoman Mimi Peck-Llewellyn said that con-