East Haven Faces Spending Freeze

The Town of East Haven is the latest Connecticut municipality to implement changes as state lawmakers still can’t make a budget deal.

Mayor Joseph Maturo announced Monday that the town would be implementing a spending freeze, meaning no additional spending without the mayor’s approval, effective immediately.

"Everyday we pick up the newspaper or turn on the TV there’s another delay. We don’t know if they’re ever going to come up with a budget," Maturo said in an interview with NBC Connecticut.

The mayor said this is the earliest in the year the town has implemented such a freeze. They typically come toward the end of the fiscal year to ensure that the town doesn’t exceed its annual $100 million budget.

But Maturo said uncertainty about how much money the town could get or not get from the state whenever it does enact a budget is a cause for concern and prudence in the meantime.

"I want to make sure that our residents are protected. It really hurts a lot and that’s why this is the prudent way to go," Maturo said.

The news of the spending freeze was enough to anger some East Haven residents.

"Shame on them," lifelong resident Angela Caruthers said in reference to the state lawmakers lagging progress on a budget. "With the money we take out from these politicians, they can't even run a state," she said.

Maturo said in a worst case scenario, the town could have to dip into its rainy day fund to cover expenses. That move could impact the town’s bond rating and with it, the mill rate and property taxes.

Maturo said placing controls on spending in the meantime will hopefully avoid having to take that step in the future.

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