Joe DeLong, executive director of the lobbying group Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, declares in this commentary that Governor Ned Lamont is screwing local taxpayers:
In a recent column titled “Plenty of ideas for taxes but few for economizing,” Chris Powell argues that the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) is “whining” about property tax increases and suggests that we should shift our focus toward “efficiency in government.”
As the CEO of CCM, Connecticut’s largest nonpartisan association of municipal officials representing communities of all sizes, I feel compelled to respond — and I must say: Powell is right!
There’s no denying that I am at the forefront of the effort to address the unsustainable property tax increases that have marked Gov. Ned Lamont’s tenure. Despite Connecticut experiencing seven consecutive state budget surpluses, local property taxes have increased by more than $1 billion. Yes, I am calling attention to the growing education inequities in our state, which have reached a point where one in five students are at risk of not graduating high school, graduating without literacy skills or being disconnected from the workforce entirely. Yes, I am calling out the fact that, while neighboring states like New York, New Jersey and Vermont invest more per pupil in education, Connecticut contributes a smaller share to education funding, leaving local property taxpayers to shoulder a disproportionate burden.
I’m also raising the alarm about the steady rise in gaming revenues, which has not been shared equitably with municipalities. Over the last decade, the state’s share of gaming revenue sent to local communities has dropped from 23% to 18%, and the amount towns and cities receive from the gaming revenue pool has fallen from $135 million in 2002 to just $54 million today. Additionally, I’m calling attention to the growing number of unfunded mandates imposed on local governments, which are exacerbated by the state’s continual removal of taxable property from local tax rolls. And though state law requires Connecticut to reimburse municipalities for 45% of lost tax revenues from state-owned properties, the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program remains underfunded by over $400 million.
Regarding the pursuit of “efficiency in government,” Powell is right again in noting that we must look for ways to economize — but the governor’s call for regionalized services must come with concrete solutions. While there are some instances where towns share services like town administrators, building inspectors and animal control, CCM has repeatedly pointed out that collective bargaining agreements often stand in the way of true regional cooperation. For example, multiple collective bargaining contracts prevent communities from assigning employees to work across town boundaries. Even when towns try to negotiate service consolidation, they are often hindered by disagreements among various bargaining units.
In response to CCM’s advocacy, Gov. Lamont introduced a bill in 2023 aimed at removing barriers to service-sharing, including requiring labor groups to negotiate collectively when municipalities attempt to regionalize services. However, after labor unions opposed the bill, the governor reversed course.
So, yes, as the head of CCM, I am raising my voice. Perhaps if property taxes continue to rise by another $1 billion in the next five years, Powell might find himself raising his voice too.
