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Tag: PILOT

  • How Can Rocky Hill Stop Tax Increases? Through Planning, Partnerships, and Responsible Growth

    How Can Rocky Hill Stop Tax Increases? Through Planning, Partnerships, and Responsible Growth

    Rocky Hill’s current mayor, Lisa Marotta, has done a lot of explaining recently about why taxes have continued to rise under her administration. In an opinion article in the Rocky Hill Life Magazine, the mayor attributed the town’s property taxes increase, and cuts to the library and school programs to forces beyond her control, laying the blame on the state.  In a recent debate, she also claimed that her administration’s 10-year tax abatement for the Kelson Row development was somehow a success for the town. Rocky Hill needs leadership that offers a sound strategy, not excuses.  How can we stop our taxes from continuing to increase?

    A smiling bearded man in a suit

    Allan Smith, the Democratic candidate for Mayor of Rocky Hill, believes in problem-solving and being action oriented.   Allan is a small business owner who believes in creativity and collaboration, not complaining.  Allan’s action plan if he were to become mayor includes the following initiatives so Rocky Hill moves forward in a new way:

    • Exploring sharing services across departments and neighboring towns to save costs & increase efficiency.  Allan’s approach would be partnering with neighboring towns by sharing certain services without losing local control.  Shared services projects are a way to lower costs for certain town assets and resources not always being used (think seasonal street-sweepers and tree-trimming equipment).  Our current mayor has touted their increased attention to shared services like partnering with Wethersfield to work on the Silas Deane, however, it was our neighboring towns who led these projects and brought Rocky Hill along. Allan is a mayoral candidate who wants to be first to the table to represent Rocky Hill.  He already has relationships with the neighboring town leaders, so can join this effort quickly to try to lower Rocky Hill’s costs.
    • Banding together with other mayors to argue for legislative change to the PILOT funding formula.  PILOT is a state program that funds part of town’s property taxes because certain town properties aren’t required to pay taxes (for example, Dinosaur State Park).  Mayor Marotta’s approach has been to write opinion pieces in local newspapers and testify at the state capitol complaining that PILOT funding is not increasing enough.  Allan believes in doing, not complaining.  Other towns are getting more money from their state  (for example, Wethersfield getting $200+ million for 70% reimbursement toward new schools) because there is closer cooperation with their town and state representatives.  Allan’s approach will be to have a unified front with Rocky Hill’s Representative Kerry Wood and State Senator Matt Lesser to identify projects and more effectively push for Rocky Hill to get its fair share of grants and PILOT funding.
    • Change Rocky Hill’s tax base to “diversity revenue”. Diversity revenue means finding different ways for a town to receive income.   As a certified commercial real estate agent, Allan understands what developers and property owners need to be successful.  In the last town re-valuation, Rocky Hill’s residential property tax income had to be used for more of the town’s budget because more business offices are vacant and less valuable since 2018.  We need someone on staff to exclusively help connect businesses with the town and streamline economic development. Allan would propose hiring a full-time business development manager to attract new businesses and fill vacancies.

    Regarding Kelson Row, in the recent Rocky Hill conversation event between Allan and Mayor Marotta, Allan pointed out that, because of the mayor’s tax reduction deal, Rocky Hill will lose more than $10 million dollars in tax revenue over the next 10 years or more.  Further, if Kelson Row was being taxed for the full amount it owes, even with being partially completed, Rocky Hill could have avoided cuts to our schools, public safety, and library or shrunk the property tax increases in this year’s budget. Allan’s approach would have been a modest tax reduction to allow the developer to “get off the ground”, but only for a short period until they began collecting rents, and residents begin moving in and using town services. 

    Allan Smith illustrates how Mayor Marotta admits that Kelson Row tax abatements cost Rocky Hill $1.1 million a year.

    Allan Smith believes it’s a mayor’s job to make sure the town gets the state funding it needs and tax income it deserves so it can evolve and thrive.  Vote for Allan Smith if that’s where you want Rocky Hill to go from here! 

  • A Response to RH Mayor’s “Double Standard”

    A Response to RH Mayor’s “Double Standard”

    In a recent opinion piece, the Mayor of Rocky Hill claims that the State of Connecticut is placing undue hardship on municipalities and applying a “double standard” when it comes to taxation.

    Her article begins with a personal anecdote about her children learning not to argue at the dinner table—an analogy that feels somewhat misplaced in the context of a serious policy discussion. A more fitting comparison might be a child who eats all their Halloween candy in one night, then complains the next day that they don’t have any left and deserve more of their sibling’s. The point being: it’s not enough to receive our share resources—we must also use them wisely.

    The Mayor often returns to the topic of PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes), a long-standing program through which the state reimburses municipalities for tax-exempt state-owned properties. Contrary to the implication that Rocky Hill is being shortchanged, the truth is that PILOT payments to Rocky Hill—like those to other municipalities—have increased in recent years. In fact, in 2022 the state nearly doubled its overall PILOT funding and has continued to increase that support since. While Rocky Hill may have received approximately $840,000 last year compared to a theoretical maximum of $3.3 million under the PILOT formula, it’s worth noting that every municipality receives a prorated share—and that larger cities with significant concentrations of state facilities are even more acutely affected.

    We share the Mayor’s desire to see more state revenue directed back to municipalities, especially given Connecticut’s improved fiscal condition in recent years. But we also understand the broader priorities in Hartford. State leaders have chosen to return surplus revenues to residents in the form of income tax cuts and motor vehicle tax relief—policies that benefit working families and all vehicle owners, not just property taxpayers. That’s a choice we support, and it reflects a balanced approach to statewide economic equity. 

    The Mayor also expresses concern about tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans—an initiative created by the legislature in 2022 and approved unanimously by the Rocky Hill Town Council in August 2023. We believe that providing property tax relief to those who have served our country honorably and face lifelong disabilities is not just sound policy—it’s the right thing to do.

    Perhaps most troubling, however, is not what funding Rocky Hill hasn’t received, but what has been done with the significant funding we have received. Under this administration, Rocky Hill has benefited from millions in state and federal funds: $5.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, $2 million for the Housing Authority, and multiple grants for sidewalks and infrastructure totalling at least $2.8 million. These opportunities were made possible through the efforts of our Democratic state legislators, whom voters send to Hartford every two years to advocate for our town.

    Yet residents are left wondering: where are the results? The ARPA funds could have addressed major infrastructure projects—our aging pool, outdated HVAC systems in our schools, or critical roof repairs. These are practical, visible needs that could have been resolved without placing further burdens on local taxpayers. Instead, much of the funding was directed toward temporary staffing and overhead, which are now baked into our ongoing annual budget.

    Similarly, while Rocky Hill has been awarded multiple grants for sidewalks on Glastonbury Avenue, Washington Street, and Century Hills Drive, residents have seen little follow-through. Aside from a single sidewalk installed on Winter Lane—a quiet cul-de-sac—these projects remain quiet, despite the availability of funds.

    The core issue is not a lack of funding. It is a lack of strategic vision, execution, and long-term planning. For three terms, we’ve heard the same refrain: that Hartford is to blame for your taxes going up. But when money does come, we need leadership that ensures it is used to make tangible improvements in the lives of Rocky Hill residents.

    As the Rocky Hill Democratic Town Committee, we believe it’s time for a more proactive, responsible approach to local governance—one that builds partnerships, maximizes the resources we have, and invests in projects that benefit everyone in our community. Let’s stop pointing fingers and start planning wisely.