The state budget for the next fiscal year includes nearly $280 million in aid to towns, with about $100 million in one-time aid for non-education programs and $180 million for schools that communities could expect year after year. Gov. Ned Lamont, who negotiated the budget with legislative l eaders and is expected to sign it, said it would stipulate that municipalities that already have set their local budgets can re-open those documents and use the extra state aid to lower taxes if they choose. ...read more read less