While no deal on budget cuts had been struck heading into the weekend, the town council is set on making decisions that will lead to an approved budget during the next referendum. According to Deputy Mayor Al Simon (D), that means aiming for a zero-percent tax increase.
Town council members are scheduled to meet Monday night to make budget cuts and schedule the town's fourth referendum of the season.
As of Friday afternoon, Simon said he has no proposals and is aware of no plan to move forward.
Simon added, however, that the council must cut roughly $430,000 to reduce the council's proposed budgetary tax impact to zero percent.
"I expect that's where we're going," said Simon via email Friday.
Republican Don Jepsen said he will spend the weekend developing a list of potential cuts.
The one thing he won't support, however, is the use of town cash to lower taxes.
Annual fund balance expenditures are "unsustainable and need to be avoided," Jepsen said Friday.
When the council meets Monday, it will be its fourth official crack at drafting a budget worthy of approval at referendum.
The last referendum, held on June 25, represented a budgetary tax increase of .54 percent. That number was reached through the elimination of $400,000 in requested education funding and over $900,000 in general government spending.
Town Manager Peter Souza's initial budget request included a tax increase of 3.18 percent.
The town council is scheduled to meet Mon., July 1 at 7:30 p.m.
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