New Haven’s mayor is proposing an increase to the city’s property tax rate in order to make up for less funding from the state, she said on Monday.
As part of her budget proposal, Mayor Toni Harp has recommended raising the mill rate by 4.30 mils to 42.98.
Jennifer Kaylin enjoys living in the East Rock home where her children grew up.
“To me, it’s my favorite neighborhood in New Haven, it's beautiful,” Kaylin said.
But she is alarmed by the mayor’s proposed increase on property taxes that would raise homeonwers’ bills by 11 percent.
“I mean that’s a huge jump and even the taxes we pay now are a stretch, a bit of a burden,” Kaylin said. “I think it’s very troubling.”
The state budget stalemate that did not end until October left municipal governments with less time for their budget planning. Mayor Harp said she has asked every single city department to make cuts.
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“We cut as much as we could and still provide the services people are used to and we are now going to have to raise taxes in order to maintain services,” Harp explained.
New Haven Public Schools asked for a $10 million budget increase, but Harp said she can only recommend an extra $5 million. The mayor would like to fill three new positions at the police department to oversee the storage of body camera footage.
The mayor told NBC Connecticut she is disappointed the New Haven delegation of lawmakers did secure more funding for the city.
“They didn’t realize that there was this kind of cut and frankly, I met with the delegation today, and we showed them the runs and many of them were surprised,” Harp said.
“At a time of painful cuts throughout state government and reductions in the workforce, funding for formula aid grants for our largest cities has grown - including for New Haven - which has increased from over $194 million in 2011 to over $226.5 million in 2018,” Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney said.
As Kaylin and her husband plan the next stage of their lives, she said they may look to move out and sell their house sooner.
“These kinds of increases that we’re hearing about could influence our decision,” she said.
If the Board of Alders approves the tax rate increase, Mayor Harp said New Haven would still have a lower tax rate than neighboring Hamden and larger cities like Waterbury and Bridgeport.
Residents will have the chance to weigh in on this budget proposal next Monday night at City Hall.
