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PRESS RELEASE
Office of the Mayor
04/27/2020
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Hamden Budget Deliberations Rescheduled
Set to Begin May 5th, 2020
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The Hamden Legislative Council, in consultation and agreement with the Town Administration, Department Heads, and Emergency Management Directors, will delay the 2020-2021 Budget Deliberation process. This delay is in response to the fluid and changing circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic response, and the impact of those circumstances on not only the budget hearing process, but also the budget of the Town itself.
Deliberations for the FY2020-2021 budget will now begin May 5th, 2020 at 7:00pm[S1] , virtually on the ZOOM platform. A revised meeting notice will be released to the public detailing how to attend the meetings by either phone or video conference. The Legislative Council, per the Governor’s Order, will conduct deliberations at a schedule to be posted. The deliberations will be considerably shorter than in the past and will dovetail into the extended schedule approved by the Council pursuant to Executive Order 7C.
The schedule, approved by Resolution on March 30, 2020, modified the Charter process as follows:
- May 14th: Notice[i] of one or more electronic public hearing(s)[ii] on the Proposed Town Budget, as set forth in Charter[iii].
- Not later than May 20th[S2] : Electronic Public Hearing(s) [iv] of the Legislative Council, at which time any elector or taxpayer may have an opportunity to be heard[v].
- TBA: Legislative action following the public hearings, at the ongoing Electronic Meeting of the Council[vi].
- Not later than June 5th: (1) Electronic Special Meeting[vii] of the Legislative Council, noticed in accordance with EO 7B ¶1 for the purpose of adopting the Proposed Town Budget (“Adopted Town Budget”) at which time the Council may fix the tax rate, in accord with Charter §10-3.B and B(1); and (2) Final Action I. In the event the Council fails to adopt a Town budget, the Proposed Town Budget as originally submitted by the Mayor shall be deemed to be the “Town Budget Ordinance” and the Mayor shall have the right to fix the tax rate, as set forth in Charter §10-3.B(2).
- Not later than June 10th or within 5 days after Council action, whichever is earlier[viii]: Council shall transmit Adopted Town Budget
- Not later than June 20th or within 15 days after Council transmittal, whichever is earlier[ix]: (a) Final Action II: Final Action on the Adopted Town Budget occurs in the event the Mayor shall (a) approves; or (b) fail to take action (Charter §10-4.A (1) (a) and (b)); (b) Veto. (Charter §10-4.A (1) (c)).
- Not later than June 25th or within 15 days after transmittal of the Mayor’s Veto, whichever is earlier[x]: Electronic Special Meeting of the Legislative Council - Final Action III: Legislative Override of Mayoral Veto (a) Override: Adopted Town Budget shall be effective, Charter §10-4.A (2) (a); or, (b) Sustain: Proposed Town Budget shall be effective, Charter §10-4.A (2) (b).
- Within 24 Hours of Any Final Action, at the latest June 26th: Public Notice of Final Action shall be provided, as set forth in Charter §10-4A.(4)
- 21st day after Public Notice: Effective Date, as set forth in Charter §10-4A.(3)
President McGarry, Council Leadership and Mayor Leng mutually commented, “We are rescheduling and extending Hamden’s original budget deliberation schedule to allow our Elected Officials and Town Departments ample opportunity to ensure that the FTY2020-21 budget is as diligent and responsive as possible to the changing fiscal landscape caused by COVID-19. It is our strong position that through additional review and preparation by the Council and Administration, the FY2020-2021 budget deliberation process will be well positioned to provide opportunities for more constructive dialogues and decision making than if the process were to proceed hastily. We, as both the Administrative and Legislative bodies of Hamden, are only interested in ensuring the FY2020-21 budget is a document that is responsive to all residents of our Town. The extension of this process will give our mutual parties a much more realistic opportunity of achieving that goal for our Town.”
Further details regarding the revised schedule of the Hamden FY2020-2021 Budget Deliberations will be posted on Hamden.com by the close of business April 28th, 2020. All previously scheduled and noticed budget deliberation dates, times, and sessions are hereby cancelled.
[i] In lieu of the charter mandated date of “on or before” April 25 (Charter §10-3.A (1)).
[ii] Said public hearing shall be noticed in accordance with EO 7B ¶1 pertaining to electronic meetings.
[iii] See, Charter, §10-3.A (1). The Council must make available on the Town website for general distribution Proposed Town Budget, including BOE budget in detail, including proposals for revenue and expenditures, comparative figures for the current fiscal year and amount to be raised by taxation, in accordance with Charter §10-3.A(2). That provision is consistent with the Executive Order.
[iv] In lieu of the charter mandated date of “not later than” May 1 (Charter §10-3.A)).
[v] In accordance with Charter §10-3.A.
[vi]The Council “…may add or increase programs and amounts and may delete or decrease programs or amounts except no expenditures required by law or debt service may be decreased,” in accordance with Charter §10-3.A(3).
[vii] In lieu of the charter mandated date of “not later than” May 17 (Charter §10-3.B)).
[viii] In lieu of the charter mandated date of “not later than” May 22 (Charter §10-4.A)).
[ix] In lieu of the charter mandated date of “not later than” June 1 (Charter §10-4.A (1)).
[x] In lieu of the charter mandated date of “not later than” June 10 (Charter §10-4.A (2) (a)).
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Town of Hamden
Office of the Mayor
2750 Dixwell Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518
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