Suffield’s Reliance on State Grants

As I was a Board of Finance member for 20 plus years, prior to year 2000, I have kept in touch with the deliberations of the Board. This year is particularly interesting due to the state’s financial problems. Suffield receives approximately 20% of our budget income primarily from three state grants: 1) PILOT or Payment In Lieu Of Taxes, for state owned properties in Suffield, the biggest being the prison. 2) Pequot money, which is our share of slot machine revenue from the casinos, and 3) Educational grants. All three of the above are moving targets for the state, and the fear is that Town expenses, now and in the future, must be borne by the town’s citizens if the grants diminish. Hopefully, the state can get their business in order so that the grants can be stabilized which leads to fair taxes.