Today, Fairfield First Selectman Michael Tetreau explained how the lack of a state budget will impact the town.   Fairfield’s budget has already been passed, and the town’s tax bills have already been sent out.   The town is slated to lose between four to five million dollars in state money without a budget.  If the state budget is passed, the town is still expected to lose between two to four million dollars in tax cuts.  Since the town has already started its fiscal year it is now obligated by state statute.   Sixty to sixty-five percent of the town’s budget is education and the town cannot cut the Board of Education’s funding without the board’s permission.  The Board of Education is in a tough position because they are projecting a loss of two to four million in state funds.  Tetreau said this covers about eighty percent of the budget. The challenge will be to find cuts in the remaining budget which equates to four hundred to five hundred thousand dollars a month to adjust the budget.

The remaining twenty percent of the budget covers police, fire, public works, library, parks, and recreation and a host of other departments.   Tetreau has asked department heads to go out and talk to three other towns to see what they can learn, and see how they can be as productive as they can.  The First Selectman expects changes in the services the town provides, their available hours, and other changes. He said the town is in strong financial position, and they had their AAA rating renewed. They are in better shape than most towns to deal with this, however, there will be service level adjustments.