Though up, Easton mil rate
still one of lowest in state
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
EASTON — Taxpayers in Easton saw a slight increase in their taxes this year, but despite the increase the town’s mil rate remains one of the lowest in the state.
In addition to a loss in revenue sharing from the state, the school’s portion of the budget continues to factor into rising taxes.
Town Manager Jim Gardner said Easton has continued to see a decline in state funding.
“In the 2011-12 school year, we received $720,854 in state share for education. In 2012-13, the Easton school system received $232,659. In 2013-14, Easton’s slated to receive $128,000 for education,” said Gardner.
Even though the state added $26 million to its budget, Gardner said Easton’s share continues to decline.
“We’ll only receive $92,000,” said the town manager.
“Counting the 2010-11 school loss in state funding, the total was a loss of $720,000-plus over a three-year period, or the equivalent of 3 mils,” said Gardner.
Taxpayers had enjoyed a tax decrease until recently. Gardner said the mil rate was dropped in 2009 from $20.25 to $14.65 per $1,000 in valuation because of new industrial assessments.
Cuts to revenue sharing and school have factored into the town’s need to increase the mil rate.
“Last year the rate was adjusted from 14.65 to 15. This year it’s 16. The Board of Selectmen took $250,000 from surplus to set the mil rate at 16,” Gardner said.
Gardner said the town’s selectmen are working to spread the cuts in funding over a three-year period.
“Easton’s Board of Selectmen set a three-year phase-in of the $720,000 loss in state education in subsidy. Yet with the new assessments, the final year will not be known until the 2014-15 budget,” said Gardner.
Gardner provided a breakdown of the budget, noting the changes from 2013 to 2014 for municipal, education and county:
• Municipal portion of budget — 2013 was $944,687, 2014 is $1,025,648;
• Education portion of budget — 2013 was $2,561,013, 2014 is $2,839,771; and
• County portion of budget — 2013 was $251,638, 2014 is $258,271.
