A simple way to put it: Avon's proposed budget stabilizes our town in an unstable time, protecting schools, public safety, and home values without unnecessary spending.

You can also share that Avon's mill rate and per-pupil spending remain among the lowest in the Farmington Valley, that town leaders made responsible tradeoffs to hold the line on costs, and that this budget keeps the programs and services that make Avon a great place to live. Most importantly, tell them to Vote YES on May 13 at the Avon Senior Center, polls open 6 am to 8 pm.

The single biggest driver of this year's budget was a 35% spike in health insurance costs, adding $3.6 million above last year versus the typical $1.2 million annual increase. This rise in costs was largely outside local control.

In response, town and school leadership moved to the State Partnership Plan for employee insurance, producing savings of over $2 million and bringing the proposed mill rate increase down from 5.43% to 3.41%. For more detail, see the Town of Avon budget page at avonct.gov.

Significant cuts were made before this budget was presented to residents. The Fire Department requested a 10% increase after years of 0% budget growth and received only 5%. Police staffing adjustments were required. In the schools, 7 vacant positions were left unfilled and the Assistant Superintendent position was eliminated. Road improvements received only 50% of the requested budget. A long list of capital projects and planned maintenance has been deferred across departments.

Avon's per-pupil spending is among the lowest in the Farmington Valley while our schools consistently deliver strong outcomes. The proposed budget maintains current service levels without dramatically increasing per-pupil costs.

Avon's current mill rate of 30.75 is the second lowest in the Farmington Valley. The revised proposed mill rate for FY 2026–27 is 31.80, a 3.41% increase, which keeps Avon well below most neighboring towns. Granby's mill rate is 39.59; Simsbury's is 33.02. Avon's Democratic-led boards have consistently delivered fiscally responsible budgets with some of the lowest tax burdens in the region.

After the initial budget was presented at the Public Hearing, the town and Board of Education moved to the State Partnership Plan for employee health insurance. This change produced savings of over $2 million, reducing the General Fund budget and lowering the proposed mill rate increase from 5.43% to 3.41%. The revised total budget is $122.3 million, compared to $118.6 million last year.

Many residents are feeling the squeeze from multiple directions: years of inflation, rising energy costs, and the state-mandated property reassessment, which increased home valuations and resulted in higher tax bills for many residents. The town is aware of this pressure, which is why tax relief programs for seniors, veterans, and persons with disabilities remain a priority in this budget. Avon leads the state in supporting these residents.

If the budget fails, town staffing and services will be reduced across departments. School programming will be cut and class sizes will increase. Fire and police capacity will be further reduced. Road work and infrastructure maintenance will be deferred even longer. A failed referendum sends a signal to families considering Avon that our community does not invest in what makes it strong