Anyone who owns a home knows – when you fix one thing, something else breaks. With the recent approval of the town’s budget, there is fear among many about the rising costs from the groceries we must buy to the property (and other taxes) we must pay.
Last week, the town passed a budget that left additional questions, like, why the increased mill rate? Why the large Board of Education budget? Why the cuts to the library? Why were the high school graduate banners cut from the budget?
There are certainly many questions to be asked, and answers that the Town Council and the Mayor are willing to answer.
In the Mayor’s email on May 14th, two days after the Town Council’s budget approval, Mayor Chess said, “The final budget is $277,694,067, and the mill rate has lowered to 37.73. Please understand that the mill rate does not directly represent your tax burden.”
How is the mill rate determined?
According to Connecticut.gov, the mill rate: A “mill” represents \(\$1\) of tax for every \(\$1,000\) of assessed property value. To calculate your annual property tax, you take your property’s assessed value (which is 70% of its fair market value), multiply it by the mill rate, and divide by 1,000.
In 2021- 2022, our mill rate was 39.47, and 2023-2026, our mill rate was 40.20. The budget passed last week, we see a decrease in the mill rate from 40.20 to 37.37. To better understand the implications of the state mandate revolution and what this means for our pocketbooks, the Stratford Crier spoke with Anthony Afriyie, Town Council Chair. He said, “The approved 37.37 mill rate reflects the first year of the three-year phase-in. Since only part of the revaluation increase is being recognized in year one, the taxable base is smaller, requiring a higher mill rate. Without the phase-in, the mill rate likely would have been closer to 28.27, but that lower rate would have been applied to the full revalued assessment immediately.”
Still confused?
In the Mayor’s proposed budget, the stated mill rate was 28.27 meaning my house, which was assessed in the revaluation process at close to $400,000 would have been taxed for the full $400,000 this July. However, with the phase-in and an initial higher mill rate (at 37.37), the increased property tax won’t hurt as much. Over time, the hope is that we will be at 28.27 once the grand list levels out.
Still unsure of what this all means for your pocket? There are upcoming Neighborhood Association Meetings you can attend. Check out the current schedule or contact Erin McLaughlin, Community Engagement Manager for more information.
The Mayor nor the Town Council actually directly set the mill rate but the choices they make for the town set the mill rate. If there is more commercial property, the grand list grows which then directly decreases residential property taxes.
And then we have the costs for public education which saw an increase in the approved budget. The approved budget for the 2026-2027 school year provides students, teachers, and staff with necessary support, and so much more. The Stratford Crier intends on reaching out to Superintendent Borges, and Sheri Szymanski, Executive Director of the Stratford Library Association to hear how the 2026-2027 approved budget impacts the lives of their staff and the communities they serve.
