Simsbury officials present 2025–26 budget with modest mill-rate rise, debate use of reserves and capital priorities

The Board of Selectmen and town staff presented a $29,000,737 operating budget for fiscal 2025–26 and said it would produce a roughly 2.95% increase to town spending and an estimated mill-rate projection of about 33.01 mills (fire district excluded). The presentation, given at the Board of Finance meeting on March 11, laid out the town operating request, capital and nonrecurring projects, and options the board will consider ahead of a public hearing on April 8 and a referendum later this spring.

Why this matters: The budget determines next year’s local tax burden and how the town will cover recurring costs, capital projects and one-time needs. Officials said they limited bonding, used a mix of reserves and revenue adjustments, and pursued cuts to meet a board guidance target below the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.

Town staff and selectmen said the budget reduces the earlier projected increase (previously near 6.95%) through a combination of departmental cuts, additional state aid and use of reserves. Board member Wendy (board member) said the Selectmen pared about $157,000 in additional reductions after the town manager’s staff-level cuts and included a $450,000 mill-rate relief transfer from reserves to lower the voter-facing increase.

Officials highlighted revenue and capital items that factored into the plan.…