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| Sample Ballot District One referendum question: Shall the Enfield Town Charter be revised as proposed by the Charter Revision Commissionand as approved by the Enfield Town Council by Resolution #7276 at its regular meeting of June 16, 2025? (Click on ballot to see clear version) |
On Nov. 4, voters will face a yes-or-no decision on the Charter Revision Commission's work. It's a mess of things, but only one provision matters: Should the town have an Automatic Budget Referendum?
Any budget the Council approves with more than a 5% spending increase must be put to a town-wide vote
This referendum question is entirely political.
The referendum idea was hatched by Republican leadership on the Charter Commission and sold as something that will be fiscally responsible and increase voter accountability. It will do no such thing because of how the town's finances work in the real world.
What really determines whether taxes rise or fall is revenue — state aid, grants, the town’s grand list, and property revaluations. See examples:
Example One: Who owns the largest budget hike? The Republicans.
The biggest budget hike in the past decade came under Republican control in 2022: a 5.5% increase—enough to trigger an automatic referendum under this proposal. But taxes didn't go up. Why? Because the town's grand list grew enough to absorb the cost.
Example Two: Who decreased budget spending? The Democrats.
The Democrats gained control of the Council the following year and cut spending in fiscal year 2023 by 0.75% because of the impact of revaluation. Even with that slight reduction, homeowners saw tax increases in the range of 4.5% due to the shift in tax burden from commercial properties to residential.
Can a referendum control spending? No.
This year shows exactly how to spend outside the budget. Just two months after passing it, Republicans pulled $600,000 from the town's reserve fund to build pickleball courts at Fermi. Democrats went along with the decision—and lost a chance to set themselves apart.
Using the town's reserve to build pickleball courts? Hard no.
The rapid rise in home values is shifting the tax burden onto homeowners. To soften the blow, the town has been dipping into its reserves to offset spending increases. But by using $600,000 this year for pickleball courts, it drained funds that could've helped blunt next year's revaluation impact.
Can an automatic budget referendum break fiscal stability?
The Charter Commission didn't do any real analysis—no weighing of pros and cons, no risk assessment. Nothing.
What happens if the town faces a crisis—like a major flood, the loss of FEMA aid (a real possibility), or a cut in state funding—and needs a budget increase over 5%?
Loss of reputation.
Here's where it gets dangerous: bond rating agencies expect stability. Forced cuts after a failed referendum could drive up borrowing costs and hurt the town long-term.
There is no voter threshold.
The Commission didn't include a minimum voter turnout. That means a referendum could pass with just 5% of voters showing up. Small voter turnouts in budget referendums is the norm, not the exception.
A small, motivated group could end up making major budget decisions for the entire town.
Who gets hurt by referendums?
Working parents managing jobs, childcare, and everything else—people with the least time to vote.
Is a referendum fair? No.
It gives disproportionate power to small voting blocs, doesn't address the real drivers of tax hikes, and risks destabilizing the very services residents rely on.
The fairer system is the one Enfield already has: regular elections every two years, where all voters can hold the Council accountable.
