[{"_1":2,"_96":-5,"_97":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,84],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6567121,"mediaKeyId","3194709-5ebbeca3ac33d22b55408bc75171c271","parentId",3194709,"title","Town clerk highlights $5.5M in annual revenue, Real‑ID demand and pilot ballot‑drop box; warns vote‑by‑mail changes could raise workload","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",6390000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3194709-5ebbeca3ac33d22b55408bc75171c271&start=6390&end=6390","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3194709-5ebbeca3ac33d22b55408bc75171c271/thumbnail_6390000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6567121/Hartford-City/Hartford-County/Connecticut/Town-clerk-highlights-55M-in-annual-revenue-RealID-demand-and-pilot-ballotdrop-box-warns-votebymail-changes-could-raise-workload","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6567121-d97cbc2fc2a2f65fe540f1589327276c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185038&Signature=oIA-8mGdFodiWkB8CKRy0eJYxXM4DI2cOfeJV8z64mLqVDiy8flUa98PWoUrznRTVccNUhkQWEed3EqIscL20kgPz9ufC84HhO6MIvpIFg54-i4MU635XOfGXrzK3vvgzwaWHhZDPwWYqaUhTthPFFefI2omO92KWdJUyTFgvb1YvSBGZfPRwMAN6v1xQEDj4WrAmdv6vAI4vFI4ym~k7zEkaCGnUraDH6aEAN3FrVrpVZHnWZF9Ci5nHObOJztvHH-Ct1nesrEo-7yolBxLInobIVT8nRcE8jXFv8dO16p8Zx42BpHDklykul9lRdgc0ICFE8CWa2h3~7HeUGqbFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Hartford, CN","date","2025-05-05T23:59:35.497Z","article","Town and City Clerk Eric Luza briefed the council on operations, revenue and election‑related changes the office expects in the coming year.

Luza said the town clerk’s office handles land records, vital records, licensing and serves as secretary to the city council. He reported the office takes in about $5.5 million annually, of which roughly half is pass‑through money paid to the state; the remaining roughly $2.5 million is retained by the city and returned to municipal coffers. Luza noted increased demand for birth certificates related to the Real‑ID program: Bridal (vital) records work has increased year over year by about 32 percent, producing additional service revenue.

Luza said the office is pursuing a digital‑records project using about $50,000 in internal town‑clerk funds plus $10,000 in GRAMA funds to back‑scan older land records to create an additional revenue stream and improve public access. He described outreach, boards and commissions recruitment, and a grant that placed voter‑registration messaging on bus ads during the last presidential cycle.

Ballot drop boxes and vote‑by‑mail

Luza said the clerk’s office is coordinating with registrars on a proposed pilot for a new high‑tech ballot‑drop box that would record video of deposits and log ballots for chain‑of‑custody tracking; the pilot is pending state approval. He also flagged statewide legal changes: a constitutional amendment passed in November shifted absentee ballots toward a broader vote‑by‑mail approach, and Luza said the city will need to prepare for that transition once the legislature and regulators finalize implementing language and deadlines.

Why it matters: The town clerk’s office is a municipal revenue source and will play a central role in implementing new vote‑by‑mail rules and any new drop‑box requirements. Luza said contingency planning may require temporary hires to manage higher volumes if the new rules take effect quickly and generate more mail‑ballot processing.

Ending

Luza said the office will return with more details as state rules and pilot permissions are finalized and asked council members for support on staffing and budgeting if the vote‑by‑mail transition increases workload. He encouraged members to use and promote online tools included in a small outreach packet distributed during the presentation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Hartford FY2026 Budget Hearing: May 5th, 2025 Live Stream","oneSentenceSummary","Town Clerk Eric Luza told council the clerk’s office returns millions to the city each year, is digitizing land records and is preparing for a state‑driven vote‑by‑mail transition and a possible video‑enabled ballot‑drop‑box pilot.","taxTitle","Hartford City, Hartford County, Connecticut","taxId",5895,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":42,"_43":77,"_45":77,"_46":78,"_48":79,"_50":80,"_52":81,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":82,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":83,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6567126,"Registrar warns federal proposals could increase local workload; Hartford to get new tabulators, asks council for training and maintenance support",4414000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3194709-5ebbeca3ac33d22b55408bc75171c271&start=4414&end=4414","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3194709-5ebbeca3ac33d22b55408bc75171c271/thumbnail_4414000.jpg","/articles/6567126/Hartford-City/Hartford-County/Connecticut/Registrar-warns-federal-proposals-could-increase-local-workload-Hartford-to-get-new-tabulators-asks-council-for-training-and-maintenance-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6567126-48d151ba3ced377ac62cafac42fca287/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185038&Signature=DIgXC4kC1kecl5ycDM9mqd89pta6ai~IV7BpsqMudwG6N2vxKzph3GdsqP0nB9-8hSYoGTjQn2INe-Fwz4O7yqODFLBULTOUwce5sr8cwTcTVo-6fkkAx9Df-vz6WHB7pwceOApfZSf~ekMX4Bpkwl5762IDY8TEzAoaPkv1-CniPWNJiMPGPoGjp78IR-DD7rjm8XutfYUkiVvP6TZPutOgZeQSkrkvCU8JJr~wRaEBJFwRK50uJB0QD5uOTaP2VGqf0TCRQP6-gBGZn1RLHi0e29vQTC5khZc46LokFYSWfCRgvUcKzKcPUClmQkTa-AEb2LyXLmq1SnHDBmhhuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Democratic Registrar of Voters Gisele Feliciano and Republican Registrar Michael McGarry briefed the Hartford City Council on the Office of the Registrar of Voters’ budget and a near‑term equipment upgrade that will change how the city conducts elections.

Felíciano said the office will implement new tabulators and a new election management system (ESS/ES&S) that the state is rolling out and that training and maintenance will be required. She warned that the presentation’s proposed budget does not include funding for any new federal or state mandates because the language and funding status are still unresolved: “If such legislation passes, compliances will be required, but no dedicated funding has been identified at this time,” Felíciano said.

Why it matters: Proposed federal measures and the president’s executive order discussed in the presentation — and the pending “Save Act” cited by staff — could require proof of U.S. citizenship to register or update voter records and would eliminate some current registration pathways, such as online and DMV‑based registration. If enacted without accompanying funding, those changes could increase work and costs at the local level.

Equipment, training and costs

The registrars showed photos of the new voter‑facing devices and the central count equipment and said the state holds the lease and that delivery will follow the lease execution. Felíciano said the state lease cost for the equipment is “a dollar” (the registrars described the state arrangement as highly favorable) but maintenance and consumable costs (batteries, encrypted USB media and per‑ballot printing) will be ongoing local expenses; the presentation included a FY2025–26 maintenance/equipment line of about $58,000.

The registrars said initial training from the Secretary of the State lasted eight hours in recent rollouts and that on‑site trainer days from the vendor could cost roughly $2,000 per day; registrars plan to use certified local moderators to expand training and to run public, hands‑on demonstrations when machines arrive.

Voter registration, canvas and operations

The office canvassed voters and mailed annual canvas cards; Felíciano said about 44 percent of mailed canvass cards have been returned so far this year. The registrars are also partnering with Hartford Vote Coalition and school outreach programs for youth registration. The office reported staffing is 100 percent Hartford residents and described planned moderator certification and election official training ahead of the coming election cycle.

Ballot drop boxes and legal uncertainty

Town Clerk and registrars are coordinating on a pilot for a video‑enabled ballot drop box that would record and log items deposited; Felíciano and the town clerk said they hope Hartford can pilot that technology pending state approval. The presentational materials noted ongoing litigation and rulemaking related to federal executive actions and state implementation; registrars emphasized uncertainty about whether funding will accompany any new mandates.

Ending

Registrars asked council members to expect follow‑up on training schedules and maintenance costs once the machines are delivered and the lease is executed. They requested the council’s patience and assistance if new mandates require local implementation without state or federal funding.","The Registrar of Voters described planned upgrades to Hartford’s voting equipment, potential federal mandates that could restrict registration methods and the need for additional local resources to implement changes.",{"_33":85,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":86,"_41":87,"_43":88,"_45":89,"_46":90,"_48":91,"_50":92,"_52":93,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":94,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":95,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6567132,"Hartford treasurer presents $582,913 general‑fund budget; pension COLA, staffing and investment returns draw council questions",985,441000,1426000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3194709-5ebbeca3ac33d22b55408bc75171c271&start=441&end=1426","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3194709-5ebbeca3ac33d22b55408bc75171c271/thumbnail_441000.jpg","/articles/6567132/Hartford-City/Hartford-County/Connecticut/Hartford-treasurer-presents-582913-generalfund-budget-pension-COLA-staffing-and-investment-returns-draw-council-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6567132-485e64e754801ff90bba4c8bc92fbe7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185039&Signature=glJSWMyWyCyzuHWpfSKMbJ4zvlhKnQkIKF4Vqp5d-UaSdI4peuN6T20BzdEgQ0kaHji4nzZsaNXpBdsMCHb7Ic4ncyqqPSzT96r8AKpqra84Aw8HXEBYbupOpn2fdSgjKuXqv5fll2PwWwK4Q-L8kkrtdPbRMu5QDpKPsdGJmkG4a7WEW7qxT74htCWEgYcclx4HcqdGGqCVJnzZ2Tb8D~GAcG1i5pkqqHTHKmXMz4Vw89812YD01iLNu3jHsdJysqFouGIY0zSidGKv~YtOR4tK9uO~ppg-60HrAvixswSedly~hzOmqHDTBxEYBxMsHplSHSLiqmlLFzzLPb7Aww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Treasurer Carmen Sierra presented the Office of the Treasurer’s recommended fiscal 2025–26 general‑fund budget to the Hartford City Council and outlined investment results, staffing needs and outreach programs.

Sierra said the office generated roughly $7.6 million in revenue year to date and reported $264 million in short‑term cash investments as of March 31, 2025. She recommended a general‑fund budget of $582,913, up from the adopted FY2024–25 budget of $549,250, an increase of $33,663 (6.1 percent) that she attributed to contract salary adjustments and a reclassification of an administrative clerk to principal analyst.

The presentation described the treasurer’s responsibilities — investing city pension and trust assets, managing cash and banking relationships and administering deferred‑compensation plans — and listed recent actions and partnerships. Sierra said the office manages several deferred‑compensation plans (identified in the presentation as 401(a), 403(b) and 457 plans) and administers pension benefit payments to “close to 3,000 retirees,” paying about $10 million a month in benefits.

Sierra said the office implemented an electronic payments platform and moved hundreds of vendors to reduce check production and postage costs by about $8,000 a year. “Our office is open,” she told council members, and emphasized outreach including bilingual financial literacy events and school internships.

Why it matters: Council members pressed for clarity on how investment returns affect the general fund and on the authority and timing of any cost‑of‑living adjustments for pensioners. Those items have direct budgetary implications for retirees and the city’s long‑term pension contribution requirements.

Council questions and staff responses

Councilman Mitchell asked whether the city can grant a cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) for pensioners and who has authority. Legal counsel Lisa Silvestri answered: “The only way that a cola can be approved, a cost of living adjustment, is for the city council to adopt an ordinance, saying that there shall be a cola when it goes into effect and how much it would be.” Sierra and former/consulting investment staff explained that higher investment returns generally flow to the retirement fund and can reduce future contribution requirements through the actuarial process, but that those effects are smoothed and appear in later years rather than as an immediate transfer to the general fund.

On staffing, council members asked about a vacant senior project manager position in investments that has remained unfilled since August; Sierra said the position is budgeted but not yet posted while a forensic audit is pending and that she will post after the audit is complete.

Other details and initiatives

Sierra listed recent investments (named in the presentation) and said the MRF portfolio value was reported at different points in the slides (examples shown in presentation: approximately $1.17 billion as of April 30, 2024, and approximately $1.113 billion as of June 30, 2024). She listed banks the office uses for overnight and short‑term placement, and described a vendor enrollment campaign that had brought 584 vendors into the electronic payments platform as of March 2, 2025 (Councilman Alex Thomas observed that the enrollment percentage was high and that relatively few vendors remained to enroll).

Sierra also described a $160 million special‑obligation refunding bond transaction closed in May 2025 that she said yields projected savings of $7.2 million over ten fiscal years for taxpayers.

Ending

Sierra invited council members to follow up and offered to host meetings and provide more detailed actuarial and COLA analysis. The presentation proceeded to a council question period that examined staffing allocations, vendor fees for electronic payments and the timing of any pension‑related policy actions.","City Treasurer Carmen Sierra outlined a $582,913 recommended general‑fund budget for FY2025–26, described investment returns and outreach initiatives, and answered council questions on a vacant senior project manager post, pension cost‑of‑living adjustments and vendor electronic payments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Town clerk highlights $5.5M in annual revenue, Real‑ID demand and pilot ballot‑drop box; warns vote‑by‑mail changes could raise workload

Registrar warns federal proposals could increase local workload; Hartford to get new tabulators, asks council for training and maintenance support

Hartford treasurer presents $582,913 general‑fund budget; pension COLA, staffing and investment returns draw council questions