Where were youon the night of March 5 ? Chances are youwere not one of the six East Hartford residents who came to the public hearing on the mayor’s proposed $ 156 million 2008-2009 budget . Six .

Among those who came , four spoke . Jon Searles , who runs a local government watchdog Web site , www . brainflation . wordpress . com , asked questions about the budget and about the process .

He asked if there are any ways , generally speaking , the council could trim the budget .

“ The council caucuses have been meeting , and certainly hope to propose a number of changes to the budget , as we have every year, ” said council chair Rich Kehoe . “ So , yesthere are . ”

Searles said that the average East Hartford homeowner’s tax burden is about $ 4 , 600 and asked Kehoe about ways the council could reduce that burden .

Kehoe said although town services cost a certain amount of money to operate , there have been tax credit programs in place , such as those for the elderly , disabled , and veterans . “ When youhave all these responsibilities and are restricted to this type of tax , that is a problem , ” said Kehoe .

Searles also called some capital improvements into question , such as revamping curbing and brickwork in the town hall parking lot . “ I don’t know that I can justify an 11 percent tax burden on the residents of East Hartford , ” said Searles . “ I understand that a [ potential ] developer wants to see a shiny town hall , but I think a developer more so wants to see a reasonable tax rate on the property he’s going to develop . ”

Searles inquired about the referendum process , saying that he wished there were more recourse for taxpayers . He asked that the council consider revising the charter to allow for multiple referendums . Also , he suggested that the council make its revised budget known and give the public the opportunity to respond to it before voting .

Resident Bruce Gaudette , who is also chairman of the Commission on Services for Persons with Disabilities , praised the upgrades to town hall , which would make the entire building comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act with the addition of a second elevator . “ I believe that any office in any town building should be accessible to any person with physical or any other kind of disabilities , ” said Gaudette . “ I’m on a fixed income ... but , I want to be able to go into town hall and get where I want to go . ”

Debra Gaudette , chair of the Commission on Aging echoed her husband’s comments . “ I usually don’t want to spend money , but I think that’s very important , ” she said .

Debra did have a few other concerns about the budget . “ I think the Board of Ed . should be given no more and no less than youhave to give them , ” she said , adding that she believes there is poor control over that money , and it should be more limited .

Gaudette agreed with Searles’s comments that the public should have a “ second shot” at the budget , after the council modifies the mayor’s proposal .

“ Maybe youwould get more people to give youan idea of what they feel should be cut or shouldn’t be cut , ” she said . “ People really need to know what yourideas are , too . ”

Debra Arrieta , a member of the economic development commission called the mayor’s budget “ fair” and said there are a number of infrastructure items that need to be done “ in order to keep economic growth coming forward . ”