Killington sees five-cent boost in property tax

Vermont Standard
2/28/19
By Curt Peterson

Standard Correspondent

KILLINGTON — Killington taxpayers will vote on a total general fund budget of $4,676,767, producing a five-cent increase in the property tax rate this year.

According to Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth, the amount to be raised by taxes will cost owners of a $250,000 home about $135 more than last year.

The tax rate reflects a $120,291 surplus from the 2017-2018 fiscal year, and $899,299 in non-property tax revenues.

Selectman Jim Haff said the latter figure includes fees paid to the town, and anticipated revenue from the options tax.

At 7 o’clock on Monday evening, March 4, the Select Board and town officials will host their usual Information

Meeting in the elementary school gym, making presentations and answering questions from the public.

Candidates for office will also make their case to the voters.

The official Town Meeting consists of Australian ballot voting at the Town Hall on March 5, which can be done between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

In addition to the municipal budget, voters will be asked to approve multiple borrowing issues.

East Mountain Road and Dean Hill Road are so deteriorated, said Hagenbarth, that their rehabilitation will cost up to $1,000,000. Any state or federal grants will reduce taxpayer cost, assuming voters approve the project.

A new Public Safety Building for the emergency squad and fire fighters is close to becoming reality. Voters will be asked to approve borrowing up to $4,775,000 to finance construction on town-owned land. Tropical Storm Irene occurred seven-plus years ago, but issues linger –voters will be asked to approve borrowing

$588,000 to complete unfinished bridge replacements.


Haff said the town was reimbursed $200,000 plus by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for part of the work, and applied for $588,000 additional funding.

“Not only did they turn down that request,” Haff said, “they decided the earlier reimbursement was an error. They want that money back.”

Haff said the final appeal is pending. He hopes Senator Patrick Leahy and Representative Peter Welch can successfully advocate for them with FEMA.

“We should know the outcome in ninety days,” Haff said. “If the voters approve the $588,000, and we lose the appeal, we will still need the other funds to pay back to FEMA.”

Hagenbarth, in a detailed explanation of the proposed budget, remarked the town is in a weak “cash position”, holding only $100,000 in cash reserves. Besides designing sustainability into the budget proposal, Article 7 asks voters to approve a Reserve Fund “to cover revenue shortfalls and to pay non-recurring and unanticipated general and highway fund expenses.”

Haff said auditors advised the town to have three months' expenses - 25 percent of the general and highway budget combined - in reserve. If a surplus is realized in a given year, he said, voters would be asked to approve adding to the Reserve Fund until it reaches the recommended amount.

The only contested election is between Patty McGrath and Charles Claffey, both seeking McGrath’s Select Board seat. She has served for six years and hopes for re-election.

Claffey, 49, a programmer for NatWest Markets, moved to Killington in 2015. He and his wife, Rebecca, have been active in the community. His platform, according to his own declarations, is to put Killington on a "sound financial basis."

McGrath owns and operates the Inn at Long Trail and McGrath’s Irish Pub.

All other candidates are running unopposed.

Town meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 5 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.at the Killington Elementary School gym.