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Council Review
Hartford City Council Recessed Meeting

Monday, May 21, 2007

Prepared by:
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

The Council recessed its May 14th meeting to May 21, 2007 for the purpose of adopting the 2007-2008 budget.  The Mayor’s Recommended Budget, totaling $517,881,440, was submitted on April 23, 2007.  A public hearing was held on April 24, 2007 and the Council’s Management and Budget Committee held a series of meetings to consider various parts of the budget.

The Council adopted a series of financial resolutions making the following changes to the recommended budget.

Revenues

1. Increased estimated revenues by $10.6 million, to reflect increase in State Education Cost Sharing funding
2. Increased estimated revenues by $2.0 million to reflect increase in State Municipal Aid
3. Adjusted revenue enhancements by $3.0 million

Expenditures

1. Increased the Board of Education Budget by $10.6 million
2. Reduced expenditures in various line items by $6,100,000.  One of these reductions results from the imposition of a Citywide non-Public Safety hiring freeze.

The net result of financial changes made to the budget is to reduce the mill rate proposed by the Mayor by 2.8 mills.  This results in a mill rate no higher than the current mill rate.

The Council also adopted a number of non-financial resolutions.  Among them were:

1. A change in the real property tax payment schedule from semi-annual to quarterly for taxes over $100 and equal to or less than $100,000.  (The change does not apply to motor vehicle taxes.)
2. A request to the State Legislature to postpone implementation of the 2006 revaluation and to reinstate the business surcharge for a period of up to two years.  If the postponement is granted, the Council will rescind the October 23, 2006 property tax cap.  Further, during the period of postponement, a task force of State, municipal, and community business leaders will be created to develop a plan for new legislation concerned with revaluation in a manner fair to all property classifications.
3. Establishment of a schedule of quarterly Council Committee of the Whole meetings to address implementation of the adopted budget.  Further, the Council required a written report of year-to-date expenditures and revenues to be provided and this document shall be available to the public.
4. A request of the Mayor to develop a Community Reinvestment Act plan to utilize CRA contributions for assisting Hartford residents and businesses to develop the capacity to take advantage of economic development opportunities, such as those provided by the MDC’s Clean Water Project.
5. A request of the Mayor to explore consolidation of the Human Resource and Payroll units of the Board of Education and City Government.

The Mayor has 48 hours (from 6 PM on May 21, 2007) to modify or veto the budget and return it to Council.  The Council must adopt the appropriation ordinance and tax levy by the end of May.

If you have any questions about the agenda, please call Richard Frieder at the Hartford Public Library, 695-6365, or Linda Bayer at Hartford 2000, 509-3710. The Council Preview/Review is a joint project of the Hartford 2000, and the Hartford Public Library.