When you receive your property tax bill or pay your personal property taxes this year, the New Fairfield town and education budgets are most likely not uppermost in your mind. Yet, these two budgets are where your tax dollars are being spent. Want to know how and where to express your opinion on the budgets?
Even though the town and education budgets are not voted on until May, the planning of the budget is taking place now. That means this is the time to get involved and make sure your priorities are reflected in the budget. There are several ways to get involved and stay informed:
- Attend meetings of the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Education, and the Board of Finance. You can listen to discussion on any budget agenda items and also speak during the public comment periods. Full schedules of meetings for town bodies can be found at http://www.newfairfield.org/meetings/boards-and-commissions and at http://www.newfairfieldschools.org/board-of-ed for the Board of Education meetings.
- Attend the annual Public Hearing on both the Town and School budgets on Saturday, March 2, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon in the Community Room at 33 Route 37 next to the Senior Center. If you can’t attend in person, the public hearing is broadcast live on your local public access channel or can be live-streamed from the Town website.
- Attend the Board of Finance Budget Meetings scheduled on March 6, 13, 20, 27, and April 3, all Wednesdays These meetings are where the BOF discusses the budget items in detail and determines where changes, if any, are to be made. These meetings all start at 7:30 pm and are held in the Community Room at 33 Route 37 next to the Senior Center.
- E-mail the Board of Finance at bof@newfairfield.org.
Don’t wait till March to find out what the budget is all about. Jump into the process now to get, and stay informed throughout the budget season.