Daily Five: Town Running A $180k Deficit

1. Today should be a lot like every other day this week: sunny, with a high of 80, according to the National Weather Service. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, and tonight should drop down to 64, according to the service.

2. The town has overspent last year’s budget by $180,000, according to finance director Rudie Beers. The cost is largely because the state assessed an extra after the town budget was passed. Additionally, the town budgeted $2.06 a gallon for heating oil, and that price went up to over $3 a gallon at some points.

The board of education returned just over $200,000 to help offset the deficit. However, the town will still require extra money, most likely taken from the general fund, to balance the budget.

Also helping offset the deficit was a $50,771 check given to the town by CIRMA, which provides the town with workers’ compensation and liability-auto-property insurance. The check was submitted because of CIRMA’s “successful nine-year capitalization effort,” which allowed assets of the company to grow 160 percent since 2002, according to a CIRMA press release.

3. Recently, New London City Councilor Mike Buschetto has been quoted as saying he wants other towns, including Waterford, to do more to help the . Buschetto pointed out that Waterford gives New London all of $3,000 a year toward the homeless shelter.

First Selectman Dan Steward said homeless people, like many other issues, is a regional issue and should be handled as such. However, Waterford does do a lot for the homeless, more than just the $3,000 check it writes to the homeless shelter. Waterford has several departments, such as senior services and youth services, that address the homeless issue.

4. Just an interesting note about Cold Stone Creamery’s (which has a location in Waterford Commons) PB&C shake. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, that shake has more than 2,000 calories and 68 grams of fat. Drinking the shake is the equivalent of eating two 16-ounce T-bone steaks plus a baked potato, according to the department.

The PB&C shake is a mixture of chocolate ice cream, milk and peanut butter.

5. On this date on 1917, Sir Thomas Whyte introduces the income tax to Canada as a “temporary measure” (where have we heard that before?). And on this date in 2007, Pratibha Patil is sworn in as India’s first female president.

Quote of the Day

“I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people’s accomplishments. The front page has nothing but men’s failures.”

-Earl Warren

Trivia of the Day

On this date 145 years ago, who became the United States' first ever five-star general?

Yesterday’s Answer: Waterford has more registered Democrats than Republicans. The town has 3,963 registered Democrats, 2,582 Republicans, 6,328 unaffiliated voters and 31 voters registered to another party, for a total of 12,904 registered voters, as of October 22, 2010.