Windham residents quickly approved a new, $16.8 million budget at town meeting June 18, with no discussion.

The 12-minute meeting, moderated by Rep. Mark Bryant, D-Windham, was among the shortest town meetings on record, according to Town Clerk Linda Morrell.

The budget represents a 2.5 percent decrease in expenditures from this fiscal year, but due to a change in the way the town calculates revenue sharing from the state, is expected to raise the property tax rate by 16 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

The overall property tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year is expected to increase by 49 cents, from $15.15 to $15.64, due increases in the school, municipal and county budgets. It means a Windham homeowner with a $200,000 home can expect to pay $3,128 in property taxes in the upcoming fiscal year, a $98 increase from this fiscal year. 

This is the first year the council has used a strategic plan to guide the budget process, Town Manager Tony Plante said, and marks an increased focus of the council on the town’s mission.

As the town population continues to grow, “we have a lot of challenges,” Plante said, and the strategic plan will help the town to “plan for our needs in a fiscally responsible way.”

Approximately 20 Windham residents voted Saturday morning to approve the municipal budget for fiscal year 2017. 

Copy the Story Link