To the Editor,

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One of us had a significant tax increase this year. The other a tax decrease.

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Connecticut law requires towns to update property assessments to reflect current market values. That’s fair in principle — but when home values rise unevenly, some residents face sharp tax hikes while others benefit from cuts. For many long-time homeowners and seniors, those sudden increases are life-changing.

The revaluations occurred across Connecticut last fall, with similar outcomes. But the pain some Woodbridge residents are experiencing is not shared everywhere in Connecticut.

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Simply put, leaders of cities and towns in Connecticut have options to mitigate the pain. State law (CGS §12-62c) gives towns a proven way to ease that burden: a phase-in. This option lets a town spread large assessment increases over several years. For example, if a home’s assessed value rose from $100,000 to $160,000, the town could phase in about $12,000 of taxable valuation per year over five years instead of applying the entire $60,000 increase immediately. This softens the shock, keeps revenue stable, and gives residents time to adjust.

Leaders have the ability and responsibility to respond – to make the impact of rising home valuations easier on their constituents and enable them to remain in their homes. Many of our neighboring towns have successfully elected this option.

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Woodbridge’s leadership refused.

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There were many excuses provided: too disruptive (not true), the residents would have to pay it back anyway (not true), the town would need to manage two sets of books (not true). The choice not to phase in shifted the full weight of revaluation onto our neighbors who can least afford it.

We have a choice.

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It’s time to choose leaders who are willing to fight the affordability crisis right here at home.

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— Scott Prud’homme and Javier Aviles, Board of Finance members; Javier Aviles is also a candidate for the Board of Selectmen on the Republican Party–endorsed slate (Row B on the ballot).

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