State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

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Special Taxing Districts

CGS Sec. 7-324. Definition. Continuation of former districts. For the purposes of sections 7-324 to 7-329, inclusive, “district” means any fire district, sewer district, fire and sewer district, lighting district, village, beach or improvement association and any other district or association, except a school district, wholly within a town and having the power to make appropriations or to levy taxes. All districts established prior to May 29, 1957, under the provisions of the general statutes or by special act shall be continued; provided any such district may be dissolved or consolidated with the government of any town, city or borough of which it is a part in accordance with the provisions of the general statutes or may, by a two-thirds vote of those voters present at a district meeting, elect to be governed by the provisions of sections 7-324 to 7-329, inclusive, in lieu of the provisions of any general or special act under which such district was established or operated. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of sections 7-324 to 7-329, inclusive, a district established prior to May 29, 1957, and electing to be governed by said sections shall not be required to adopt the form of organization provided for in said sections but may continue its existing form of organization and nevertheless have and exercise the powers and duties granted to districts in said sections and in such event the officers of such district shall have and may exercise the powers and duties granted to district officers in said sections.

Sec. 7-326. Purposes. At such meeting, the voters may establish a district for any or all of the following purposes: To extinguish fires, to light streets, to plant and care for shade and ornamental trees, to construct and maintain roads, sidewalks, crosswalks, drains and sewers, to appoint and employ watchmen or police officers, to acquire, construct, maintain and regulate the use of recreational facilities, to plan, lay out, acquire, construct, reconstruct, repair, maintain, supervise and manage a flood or erosion control system, to plan, lay out, acquire, construct, maintain, operate and regulate the use of a community water system, to collect garbage, ashes and all other refuse matter in any portion of such district and provide for the disposal of such matter, to implement tick control measures, to install highway sound barriers, to maintain water quality in lakes that are located solely in one town in this state, to establish a zoning commission and a zoning board of appeals or a planning commission, or both, by adoption of chapter 124 or chapter 126, excluding section 8-29, or both chapters, as the case may be, which commissions or board shall be dissolved upon adoption by the town of subdivision or zoning regulations by the town planning or zoning commission, to adopt building regulations, which regulations shall be superseded upon adoption by the town of building regulations, and to provide ferry service. Any district may contract with a town, city, borough or other district for carrying out any of the purposes for which such district was established.

State Statutes Chapter 105: Fire, Sewer and Other Districts

Reporting Requirements

Listing of Special Tax District Tax Collector/Treasurer - Tax Districts

Historical Information

ACIR Report - Independent Special Taxing Districts in Connecticut, December 1988

OLR Research Report - Special Taxing Districts, October 2011

OLR Research Report - Questions on Fire Districts, February 2018

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For Information Contact Martin Heft, 860.418.6355, Martin.Heft@ct.gov