MIDDLETOWN – The Middletown Common Council tonight is expected to approve the city’s 2021 budget that is less than one percent above the 2020 spending plan.
The general fund comes in at $42.5 million; the total of all budgets including water, sewer, community development, and senior citizens, totals $56.8 million.
The budget stays within the state tax cap; with property taxes rising by 3.1 percent.
Mayor Joseph DeStefano said the spending plan leaves six positions vacant and has the challenge of a number of increased expenses.
“The big areas of concern are the pension costs, which went up almost nine percent; workers’ comp is up about three-and-a-half percent; and our other huge cost is health insurance, which went up 17 percent, so considering those factors, I think the budget is very strong,” he said.
The good news is there is no increase in the water or sewer budgets.
