Milton council punts on budget vote

Milton Town Council has tabled a vote on the proposed fiscal year 2023 budget until September after receiving public comments at council’s Aug. 15 meeting.

The nearly $5 million budget shows the town running a small surplus, but its most notable feature is a proposed 18 percent property tax hike, the third such increase since 2015. 

Under the proposal, the tax rate would go from $0.252 per $100 of assessed value to $0.299 per $100 of assessed value, an 18% increase. Property taxes are Milton’s largest revenue generator; through FY 2022, the town is expected to take in $1.235 million, about $15,000 more than projected. With the increase, FY 2023 is estimated to generate $1.5 million. 

The majority of public comment at the Aug. 15 meeting centered around the tax increase.

Leah Betts, 113 Magnolia St., asked whether the town had considered reassessment instead of an increase. Mayor John Collier said the town is still awaiting Sussex County’s reassessment, and tax rates would adjust accordingly. 

While only a few people spoke about the budget during the public comment, the most consternation with the tax increase was expressed in written correspondence. A letter by John McCloskey, read by Town Manager Kristy Rogers, said the increase will hurt people on fixed incomes who have already had to deal with rising prices due to inflation. He said those who own rental homes will have to pass costs on to their renters. The letter goes on to say that Milton must be mostly run by Democrats and that President Joe Biden is the cause for recent price inflations.

Another letter, by Dale Scott, said Collier’s administration was left in an inequitable position by previous administrations, and if the increase is what the town needs, he would support it.

Don Walden said the increase was irresponsible on the council’s part as citizens struggle to pay for increased expenses, and the town should look to cut expenses elsewhere.  

Collier responded to the letters by saying he is not a fan of tax increases and lives on a fixed income himself. He said Milton council members do not run on party affiliation, and he himself is an independent. Collier said the budget is put together by the town manager based on the day-to-day needs of the town.

“This is not a budget for wish lists or wants. This is what it is going to cost to maintain the level of services that everyone is accustomed to receiving. I hope that all these people that came forward complaining about the tax increase would come forward and give us suggestions as to what services they would like to see reduced,” Collier said. 

In the end, council unanimously voted to table the budget for now, in part to review recommendations from the finance committee and incorporate them into the budget. Town council’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 12, although the agenda has not been released. By code, town council must have the budget in place by Friday, Sept. 30.