Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne has presented to the Town Council a proposed municipal budget that would require a 1.97 percent tax increase.
The proposed budget totals $111,225,771, 3.37 percent more than the current $107,603,361 budget.
The primary drivers of the increase are education spending, which is proposed at $62,175,741, 2.91 percent more than this year; investments in information technology and IT staffing; and rising costs of goods and services.
“Just as Vernon families face higher grocery, fuel and utility costs, the Town of Vernon faces similar pressures,” Mayor Champagne said. “As we do every year, we asked our finance department and department heads to employ zero-based budgeting and to carefully evaluate every line item in their budget requests.”
At the same time, Mayor Champagne said, Vernon will continue to offer the quality services residents have come to expect, including great schools and top-notch public safety.
“We are also making investments in infrastructure and key positions, which will enhance the services the town provides,” Mayor Champagne said. The proposed positions include an assistant public works director, a geographic information system analyst and application analyst in information technology, and a staff auditor in finance.
The town’s capital improvement plan makes investments in roadway maintenance, building improvements, recreation upgrades, park improvements, drainage projects and essential vehicle replacement, Town Administrator John W. Kleinhans said.
“To limit the impact on taxpayers, we are funding these capital improvements with grant and reserve funds,” Kleinhans said. “And we pledge to continue to seek grants and other funding for projects, programs and capital items.”
Mayor Champagne said he and town administration never waiver from their commitment to carefully manage all expenses and use of taxpayer dollars.
“Moving the town forward while also being sensitive to the challenges our residents face is a guiding principle of the budget preparation process,” Mayor Champagne said. “I am grateful to our department heads for prioritizing the needs of our residents while preparing their budgets. I also want to thank the finance department for their hard work during the budget preparation process. I am proud to send to the Town Council a budget that moves Vernon forward and respects the needs of our residents, including our large population of seniors who live on fixed incomes.”
The mill rate required to fund the budget is 36.8, .71 mills more than the current rate. The rate is assessed on real estate and personal property. The mill rate for motor vehicles is capped at 32.46 mills.
You can view the budget by following this link: 2026-2027 Vernon proposed budget.
The budget review schedule is as follows:
Thursday, March 19, 2026 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 21, 2026 9 a.m. First Public Hearing 9:05 a.m.
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 26, 2026 7 p.m. Second Public Hearing 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 7 p.m.
Monday, April 6, 2026 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 7 p.m.
The Annual Town Meeting is at 7 p.m. on April 28 at the Rockville High School auditorium.