The Board of Finance on Tuesday set the mill rate at 18.58 for the fiscal year 2008-09, which begins July 1, an increase of 1.17 mills from 2007-08.

Under the new mill rate, property owners will pay $1,858 for every $100,000 of assessed value.

The mill rate increase was due to a 7.2 percent boost in the town side of the budget, a 6.2 percent hike in the education budget and a 7.7 percent increase in debt service from last year, according to Chief Fiscal Officer Paul Hiller.

On Monday night, the Representative Town Meeting adopted a 2008-09 budget of $245,498,879. The budget represents a 6.7 percent increase over 2007-08.

Hiller said Fairfield's budget increase is in line with other municipalities within the region. "It's probably in the midpoint of where some other towns are," he added.

Of the $245 million approved Monday night, $80,238,417 is for the town operating budget, $139,614,137 is for education and $25,646,325 is for debt service.

Hiller said he wasn't particularly pleased with the mill rate increase. "I don't like it. I've got to pay [increased taxes] myself," he said. "I share the pain with everyone else."

Hiller said the budget hike is being driven by items such as energy costs, health insurance costs and labor contracts. "All the standard stuff," he said.


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