2013 North Branford Budget Referendum Falls Short of Required 15 Percent

After eight hours of budget referendum voting in North Branford, 770 people turned out to the polls, accounting for 8.6 percent of the town's registered voters.

The turnout fell 6.4 percent shy of the required 15 percent required in order for the vote to be binding. The last time the town hit the 15 percent threshold was in 2006 when 16.3 percent voted in the referendum. 

Here's the breakdown of results of those who voted:

• 128 accepted the budget
  
• 570 rejected the budget because it is too high
  
• 72 rejected the budget because it is too low

With the referendum now complete, the town's official budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year is $48,669,961 with a 29.1 mill rate. 

The town's budget does have the potential to go back up to $48.8 million if the state gives the town the funding it has given in the past. If that happens, the town will return funds to the capital line items where they were eliminated from in order to keep the mill rate at 29.1.

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More on Tuesday's Budget Referendum

• "You Can't Drag People Out Of Their Houses"
• "Get Out Here And Get The Budget The Way It's Supposed To Be"
  
• "They're Going To Force The Elderly People Out Of Town"
  
• North Branford Town Manager Encourages Residents To Vote In Tuesday's Budget Referendum
• Reminder: Budget Referendum Is May 14

More on the 2013-14 Budget

• Candelora: North Branford Budget "Preparing for the Worst, Hoping for the Best"
• Town Council Back to Drawing Board for Budget
• Town Council Approves $48.8M Budget with 29.1 Mill Rate
• Town Council Continues to Deliberate Budget
• Residents Support North Branford Fire Department at Public Hearing
• North Branford Budget Public Hearing Draws a Crowd
• 2.66 Percent Increase Proposed for North Branford Schools; 2.51 Mill Rate Increase for Town