Enfield Things

The previous post may have come off as a little too harsh on the Republicans. But there's a history that's troubling and needs to be addressed. My first post on the tax shift lacked context—context that this flier below helps illustrate. This 2023 flier claims the Democrats "soaked us with a 9.6% tax increase" in their second year. The tax increase was real—by my calculations, taxes went up about 4.5% in 2022 and roughly 9% in 2023. But the flier misleads voters about the causes. In 2022, the Democrats actually reduced spending by almost 1%, yet taxes still rose 4.5%— entirely due to revaluation effects . In 2023, they increased the budget by 5.4%, and taxes rose about 9%. Of that 9%, roughly 5.4% corresponded to the budget increase. The rest still reflected revaluation impacts. Looking at their two-year record: they cut spending by 0.75% in year one, then increased it by 5.4% in year two, for a total budget increase of about 4.6% over two years. Flier sent by Republ...

  Unless we acknowledge the real forces behind rising property taxes in Enfield, we risk blaming the wrong people — and repeating the same mistakes. The revaluation now underway—the one that affects the 2026 fiscal year—may deliver a tax hike as steep, or worse, than the last one. Since the 2021 revaluation, property taxes have increased nearly 19% . But much of that wasn’t due to runaway spending—it was a shift in who pays. Homeowners, in particular, took the hit. Using my own Southwood Acres ranch as an example: My assessment rose 27% in 2021. My taxes rose about $800 between 2022 and 2025. Roughly $355 of that increase—about 45%—was directly tied to revaluation. That 45% didn’t improve our schools, parks, or roads. It didn’t fund new services. It simply corrected an imbalance in the grand list—and left many residents feeling squeezed. Why It’s Happening The short answer: residential values are soaring. Commercial and industrial values are not. That imbalance is shifting a greate...

  The sample assessed value is based on my Southwood Acres home assessment. I live in the Hazardville Fire District. I'm using it for illustrative purposes. Take these figures with a large grain of salt. This estimate was taken from the minutes of meeting and any proposal has a long way to go before it makes to a voter referendum. But they do give an idea of what might happen.  Four of Enfield’s five fire districts — Thompsonville, North Thompsonville, Hazardville, and Shaker Pines — are planning to consolidate, possibly by 2027. The districts have been meeting regularly and posting minutes of their discussions, which provide new details. This is an update to my previous post . I didn’t have the Consolidation Committee minutes at the time, but they provide necessary context. The minutes confirm that only four of the five districts are working on a merger. Enfield Fire District 1 is not part of this effort. This is new: The estimated combined tax rate for the four districts is ...

Thompsonville fire house Everyone in Enfield gets a tax bill based on their property assessment, but here’s the puzzling reality: the amount you pay for fire protection depends entirely on your neighborhood. Residents are taxed at different rates for fire protection, and the differences can be substantial. If I were a homeowner in Thompsonville, I’d be livid — and justifiably so, since they pay the most for the same service. The reason is simple: Enfield has five separate fire districts. Each sets its own budget and mill rate — an outdated system that creates real inequities in our tax bills. I have nothing but praise for Enfield’s emergency services — fire, police, and EMS. They’ve helped my family, and I’m grateful. The problem is how we pay for this help. We don’t charge people for police protection based on where they live — but we do for fire services. Four of the Five Fire Districts May Consolidate That may soon change. Multiple sources, both Democrats and Republicans, confirm t...

Site plan Enfield drivers may soon have a new place to charge their cars — and fill their stomachs — if a new proposal is approved. A developer has filed plans to build Enfield’s first dedicated electric vehicle (EV) charging plaza combined with a cafe at 1561 King Street. The vacant lot is near I-91 and just south of New Day Church, formerly the Namco building. The proposal, submitted by Global Development LLC for SunEV in Suffield, would create 21 EV charging spaces, including two accessible spaces. Most of the chargers would be covered by solar carports that generate on-site electricity for vehicle charging. While the town already has some EV charging — including Tesla chargers at the Big Y shopping plaza — this would be Enfield’s first stand-alone EV charging plaza designed specifically as a rest stop, complete with its own cafe. Retro cafe design Bob Patrick, the owner of SunEV, told the Planning and Zoning Commission that their approach to EV charging is a little different. ...

Enfield is drifting. It is without clear vision, without bold leadership, and increasingly, without young families. They’re voting with their feet, and the most urgent signal is the steady departure of children. That trend reflects a deeper loss of confidence—particularly in our public schools—and a growing sense among families that Enfield no longer offers the future they imagined. Since 2010, Enfield has lost over 3,500 residents—nearly 8% of its population. But even more telling is the drop in children. U.S. Census data shows that the number of residents under 18 has fallen by more than 13%. That’s not just a demographic shift—it’s a clear signal that families are losing faith in Enfield’s future. This change carries consequences. Politically, it shifts priorities toward an aging population. Economically, it undermines our long-term vitality. And socially, it points to something more unsettling: young families no longer see Enfield as a place where they can grow roots. And yet, we s...