Nine residents addressed the West Hartford Town Council at a public hearing on the budget Monday night.

By Ronni Newton

Maintaining three library branches with continued parking validation for the main branch, and keeping the Bishops Corner Senior Center open were among the key concerns expressed by residents who spoke before the West Hartford Town Council at a public hearing on the budget Monday night at Town Hall.

The nine residents who spoke, many of whom were seniors, also asked the Council to keep taxes in check. Approximately 35 people attended the hearing.

“I love this town and I hope that I can afford to live here for another 20 years,” said Jim Bechard. He said that in the 27 years he has lived in West Hartford, his property taxes have already increased 45 percent, not including this year.

Bechard told the Council that “we can’t spend, spend, spend,” because it will decrease the desirability of living in West Hartford. He suggested that layoffs, wage freezes, and possible union concessions are a way to bring the budget in line so that everyone can continue to live here.

Budget cuts should not be made on the backs of seniors “who have made this town what it is today,” Bechard said. He urged Council members not to support closing the Bishops Corner branch library or Senior Center – two items that appeared on a list of reduction options provided by Town Manager Ron Van Winkle when he proposed his $287.3 million budget on March 8.

Other option included reduction of police overtime for non-core programs like community intervention and school resource positions, closing a fire station, closing Eisenhower Pool ($28,000), and eliminating Dial-A-Ride.

The town manager’s budget incorporates the school budget, and if passed as proposed would increase taxes by a total of 10.3 percent – an approximately 7 percent increase for residential taxpayers and more than three times that increase for businesses.

Vincent Staunton said he lives on Emily Way, in a community that includes 78 villas and 108 apartment-style residences occupied by seniors. Because of revaluation the property values have increased between 20 and 30 percent, he said. He said the retirement community, that is probably among the least burdensome to the town, can’t afford to pay for the services used by others.

Robert Kennedy, speaking on behalf of the Senior Services Advisory Committee, also urged the Town Council to keep seniors – who “enjoy West Hartford and contribute to the community” –  in mind when making budget decisions. His comments were echoed by several of the other speakers.

“Is there some way to get costs down so that we, as seniors, can maintain ourselves and continue to do well in this environment– because we love West Hartford?” asked Emmet McTeague, who said he was born and raised in West Hartford and recently returned to the state from Rhode Island.

Pat Grynbaum spoke on behalf of the “New Yorker” magazine discussion group which has been meeting at the Noah Webster Library for years. She said that when Blue Back Square was developed and the free lot behind the main library was eliminated, the town town “publicly declared its commitment and promise to maintain free parking for library patrons.” No other public libraries in comparable Connecticut towns charge for parking, she said. “We as taxpayers support the public library and we shouldn’t have to pay a fee to use it.”

The Town Council will welcome additional input from the community at one more public hearing on the budget, scheduled for April 5, at 2 p.m. in Room 314.

Comments regarding the budget can also be emailed to Town Council members, and will become part of the official public record. 

The Board of Education also has one more public hearing on the budget, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, in Town Hall Room 314.

A final budget workshop will follow the Board of Education hearing, but although the public can attend the workshop, they are not permitted to participate.

Emailed comments on the superintendent’s budget should be sent directly to [email protected].

The Board of Education will adopt its budget on April 4 at a meeting that begins at 7 p.m.

The town budget is scheduled to be adopted on April 25.

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