The State Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill allowing municipalities to delay the implementation of revaluation of property until 2011.

If passed by the House, the bill does not mandate towns to delay the implementation of the most recent revaluation, but rather gives towns the option to do so, state Sen. Kevin Witkos, R-8, said.

“I think people have great difficulties with their revaluations,” Witkos said. “Torrington has had an unprecedented number of appeals.”

The State Senate passed An Act Concerning a Municipal Option to Delay Revaluations on Thursday by a vote of 31-3. Witkos, R-8, and state Sen. Andrew Roraback, R-30, voted for the bill.

The State House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill soon.

Mayor Ryan Bingham hailed the Senate’s passage of the bill. He noted that the economic recession is devaluating the cost of homes.

“We want to see home values stabilize and then increase so that home values are more in line with real values,” Bingham said. “This is definitely a bill that I support. ... A lot of people in Torrington support it because of the situation with revaluation.”