If any town which is a member of a regional school district fails to include in its annual town budget appropriations for any year the amount necessary for payment of its proportionate share of the annual budget of such regional school district, as required by section 10-51 or section 5 of number 405 of the special acts of 1959, ten or more taxable inhabitants of a town within such school district, a majority of the board of selectmen of any such town, the Attorney General, a holder or owner of bonds or notes of such regional school district, the board of education of such regional school district or the State Board of Education may petition the Superior Court to determine the amount of the alleged deficiency. If the court finds such deficiency to exist, it shall order such town, through i
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
If any town which is a member of a regional school district fails to include in its annual town budget appropriations for any year the amount necessary for payment of its proportionate share of the annual budget of such regional school district, as required by section 10-51 or section 5 of number 405 of the special acts of 1959, ten or more taxable inhabitants of a town within such school district, a majority of the board of selectmen of any such town, the Attorney General, a holder or owner of bonds or notes of such regional school district, the board of education of such regional school district or the State Board of Education may petition the Superior Court to determine the amount of the alleged deficiency. If the court finds such deficiency to exist, it shall order such town, through its treasurer, selectmen and assessor, to provide a sum of money equal to such deficiency, together with a sum of money equal to twenty-five per cent thereof. The amount of the deficiency shall be paid by the town to the regional school district as soon as it is available; the additional sum of twenty-five per cent shall be kept in a separate account by such town and shall be applied toward payment of such town's share of the annual budget of the regional school district in the following year. If such order is made prior to the fixing of the annual tax rate of such town, such tax rate shall be adjusted to cover the sums included in such order. If such order is made after the fixing of the annual tax rate of such town, the sums included in such order shall be provided by the town from any available cash surplus, from any contingent fund, from borrowing, through a rate bill under the provisions of section 12-123 or from any combination thereof. Any borrowing to meet such deficiency shall be made by the town treasurer, with the approval of a majority of the selectmen, and no vote of the town shall be required therefor. Such borrowed amount shall be included in the estimated expenses of the town in the tax levy for the next fiscal year. Petitions brought to the Superior Court under the provisions of this section shall be privileged in respect to their assignment for hearing.