Vernon Budget Approved In 2nd Historic Drive-Up Vote

Chris Dehnel
Updated ·3 min read

VERNON, CT — Voters at a drive-up town meeting on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a $94.1 million zero-tax increase budget for Vernon's 2020-21 fiscal year.

The tally was 106 in favor and four against, according to the registrars of voters. The registrars said a typical turnout is 75 to 80 votes, so the drive-up system surpassed the normal attendance for an in-person annual meeting.

Voting took place after a virtual version of the annual town meeting. Mayor Daniel Champagne and Town Administrator Michael Purcaro ran the meeting from a classrom spaced well more than 6 feet apart, according to coronavirus pandemic guidelines.

Voting was conducted via both an ID check and either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down gesture behind closed vehicle windows.

Everyone had masks on.

It was the second town meeting featuring drive-up voting in two months in Vernon. This time around, the line of vehicles at times seemed like a Dunkin' Donuts shop in the morning.

"It's democracy in action," Champagne said of the format. "It's the people's budget — the residents' money — so they should have a chance to vote on it."


Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne on Tuesday (Chris Dehnel/Patch)


Purcaro added, "Our primary concern is for the health and well-being of our community. We also continue to be deeply concerned about the health of our democracy throughout this crisis. The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. The Constitution is not suspended in times of crisis."

Purcaro said his research points to Vernon as the only Connecticut town that has staged drive-up voting since the pandemic broke out.

Here is a look at the budget by the numbers:

The Bottom Line

  • Total propsed FY2021 Budget: $94,100,096

The Breakdown

  • General Government: $31,489,755

  • Education: $54,516,892

  • Capital Improvements and Debt Service: $8,093,449

The Difference

  • Total proposed increase from the current fiscal year: $679,186

  • General Government: $32,888

  • Education: $646,298

Revenues

  • $94,100,096

Tax Impact

  • Proposed tax increase: Zero percent

  • Current tax rate: 39.63 mills

"Careful consideration has been made in the preparation of this budget using zero-based budgeting principles and with a focus on shared-services with our school system and supporting core government programs and services," Purcaro said. "This strategy maximizes the return on taxpayer investment and provides measurable outcomes."

Purcaro touted "unprecedented governmental cost savings and efficiencies" for the zero tax increase budget.

He offered several examples:

  • "For the second year in a row, we secured a decrease in health insurance premium cost for the town, Board of Education and all participating employees."

  • "For the second year in a row, we secured a decrease in dental insurance premium cost for the town, Board of Education, and all participating employees."

  • "For the third year in a row, we secured a decrease in both our general liability insurance cost for the Town and Board of Education."

  • "Worked with our underwriters to successfully establish and launch a hybrid workers compensation coverage program resulting in cost savings for the town and Board of Education."

  • "Saved hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars through a robust and expanding shared services program between the Town and Board of Education (i.e. building maintenance and custodial services, financial and employee benefit services, information technology, and more)."

"All emergencies start and end at the local level. A core principle of effective emergency management is to immediately start planning for recovery at the beginning of a crisis," Purcaro said. "This well-established and fundamental principle demands that a comprehensive COVID-19 recovery plan must consider the long term financial impact on government operations, the economy and taxpayers.

"As government leaders, we must prioritize and take a critical look at all areas of government to ensure that services are being delivered in the most cost effective and efficient manner with the highest possible return on taxpayer investment. Now more than ever, in these uncertain times, we must focus on sustainable solutions that honor our fiduciary responsibility to those we serve."

This article originally appeared on the Vernon Patch