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2025-2026

Town of Cheshire

Budget Forum

April 10, 2025

Town Council Chambers

​

Sean Kimball, Town Manager

Dr. Jeff Solan, Superintendent of Schools

​

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Budget Factors

  • Increased Costs
  • Grand List Stagnancy
  • Debt Service
  • State/Federal Aid Reductions

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Initial Proposed Mill Rate – 31.16 mills

Mill Rate Increase Impact on Average Residential Taxpayer

(Includes Home Values as of Most Recent Revaluation - October 1, 2023)

 

 

 

Appraised (Market) Value

Assessed

(70%) Value

Taxes

Avg. Residential Property (FY 26)

$ 425,303

$ 297,712

 

Current FY 25 Taxes at 27.46 mills:

 

 

$ 8,175

Proposed FY 26 Taxes at 31.16 mills:

 

 

$ 9,277

 

 

 

 

Avg. Vehicle Value (FY 25)

$ 19,214

$ 12,751

 

Avg. Vehicle Value (FY 26)

$ 18,216

$ 11,671

 

 

 

 

 

Car Taxes for 2 Average Vehicles

 

 

 

Current FY 25 Taxes at 27.46 mills:

 

 

$ 700

Proposed FY 26 Taxes at 31.16 mills:

 

 

$ 727

 

 

 

 

Current Average Total Tax Bill:

 

 

$ 8,875

Proposed Average Total Tax Bill:

 

 

$ 10,004

 

 

 

 

Total Proposed Annual Tax Increase:

(12.7%)

​

$ 1,129

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Town Budget Adjustments

  • Increased Revenue Assumptions
    • Pool/Recreation Fees
    • Interest Rate Assumptions
    • Building Permit Assumptions
    • Using Elim Park Gift Funds
    • Total: $1,410,904

​

  • Cuts to Proposed Expenditures
    • General Gov’t: $628,153
    • Debt Service: $300,000
    • Cap. Non-Recurring: $500,000

​

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General Government Proposed Budget Reductions

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CPS Budget Adjustments

  • Reductions start as far from classrooms and programs as possible
  • The magnitude of reductions in this case require programmatic/staffing reductions
  • There is an adjustment in revenue via a $10 increase in the student activity fee (first in 8 years)

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Certified Salaries-

$627,000 Reduction

The $440,000 reduction on the teacher line already includes the elimination of 4.5 teaching positions added to address enrollment so class sizes will increase.

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Instructional Expenses-

$341,828 Reduction

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Maintenance and Operations-

$783,851 Reduction

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$290,000 of the $440,000 Certified Salary elimination would come from the list below:

  • Elementary Robotics/STEM program $170,000
  • Elementary Spanish $90,000
  • Talented and Gifted Program $75,000
  • Middle School Athletics $57,347
  • Teaching positions (reducing opportunities or increasing class sizes) $75,000 per teacher

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Total Reduction- $2,221,352

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Revised Proposed Mill Rate – 29.87 mills

Mill Rate Increase Impact on Average Residential Taxpayer

(Includes Home Values as of Most Recent Revaluation - October 1, 2023)

 

 

 

Appraised (Market) Value

Assessed

(70%) Value

Taxes

Avg. Residential Property (FY 26)

$ 425,303

$ 297,712

 

Current FY 25 Taxes at 27.46 mills:

 

 

$ 8,175

Proposed FY 26 Taxes at 29.87 mills:

 

 

$ 8,893

 

 

 

 

Avg. Vehicle Value (FY 25)

$ 19,214

$ 12,751

 

Avg. Vehicle Value (FY 26)

$ 18,216

$ 11,671

 

 

 

 

 

Car Taxes for 2 Average Vehicles

 

 

 

Current FY 25 Taxes at 27.46 mills:

 

 

$ 700

Proposed FY 26 Taxes at 29.87 mills:

 

 

$ 697

 

 

 

 

Current Average Total Tax Bill:

 

 

$ 8,875

Proposed Average Total Tax Bill:

 

 

$ 10,004

 

 

 

 

Total Proposed Annual Tax Increase:

8.1%

​

$ 715

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Current Mill Rates for Comparable Towns

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Public Comments

on the

Proposed FY26 Budget