Town employee pay equity draws concern at budget hearing

NORTH CANAAN —The proposed town budget for 2022-23 drew considerable public comment during a special meeting of the Board of Finance on Wednesday, April 27, when discussion focused on recent cuts that reduced wage increases for town employees.

Hearing the public comments — without authority to make changes at this point in the budget process — the Board of Finance voted unanimously to send both the selectmen’s and the education budgets to a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, May 11, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

In response to a Board of Finance request, the selectmen had reduced their budget from an overall increase of 9.66% to an increase of 6.27% over current levels. Their revised total expenditures now stand at $3,024,543, an increase of $179,039 over the current year.

Reviewing the reductions, Selectman Craig Whiting said that many of the cutbacks were found in small amounts throughout the budget, although hourly wage earners would receive a 6% increase, which is less than originally proposed.

During public comment, one resident indicated that town employees earn less than other area town employees earn for comparable positions.

Whiting agreed, saying that he had undertaken a study of area rates of pay. “We are far below everybody,” he said, adding that he had thought that this was a year when the town could have made a single step toward pay equity. He called for the town to make a concerted effort to get all employees to a fair wage.

“It’s a problem for the whole town,” said North Canaan Elementary School Principal Alicia Roy.

Whiting acknowledged that the town has a smaller grand list than other towns. (The grand list is a listing of all taxable property within a town and is the basis for arriving at the mill rate.)

“We spend 76% of every tax dollar to pay for education,” he added.

“It always goes back to the selectmen to cut their budget, and the employees bear the brunt of the punishment,” he said.

Michael Simmons, a highway department employee for 24 years, said that in most area towns, the starting hourly wage for a new employee is $4 higher than his present wage level.