Warren Town Council Approves Budget With 3.8% Tax Hike

The Warren Town Council approved a Fiscal 2011-2012 budget Monday night that will raise residential property taxes about 3.8 percent. Total town spending will increase about $710,000, with the majority of the increase going to the public schools. 

Warren's funding for the Bristol Warren Regional School District will increase 5.9 percent next year, while spending on town services will increase less than 1 percent.

According to Councilor Catherine Tatrie, the council did what it could to keep costs to the minimum. "There are not a lot of luxury items in the budget," she said. 

On Monday, only one cut was made to the provisional budget that was sitting before the council. Councilors decided to shift money around within the Department of Public Work's Capital Bond Budget, yeilding the town a savings of $22,000.

Councilor Scott Lial voted against the budget, noting that he hoped town departments had cut any unnecessary fat from their budget requests.

"I'm sure taxpayers would appreciate if departments could hold off on things until next year," he said. "The capital budget is too fat and all departments need to make adjustments to lower that burden."

Regardless of his concerns, the council voted to approve the new budget, 4-1.

The new tax rate is estimated at $17.15 per $1,000 of assessed value. The owner of a home valued at $250,000 would see a new tax bill of $4,287.50 next year – an increase of $157.50.

Correction: The final number of councilors voting for and against have been changed in this article. Also, an additional quote by Scott Lial has been added for clarification purposes.