Hartford committee backs end‑of‑year transfers, recommends up to $12.6M for Board of Education shortfall

The Operations Management, Budget and Government Accountability Committee voted Oct. 21 to send the mayor’s resolution to the full Hartford City Council with a favorable recommendation to make end‑of‑year budget transfers, including funds to cover fire department overtime, benefit overages and up to $12.6 million to address a projected Board of Education deficit.

Committee chair Councilman Amilka Hernandez said city financial staff would present the details and answer questions. City finance staff reported a projected favorable preliminary fiscal‑year 2025 variance of about $24.6 million, driven by roughly $22.3 million in higher revenues (more than half from property taxes) and about $2.3 million in underspending on the expenditure side.

The committee was told that $23.8 million of assigned fund balance from the previous year had already…