Simsbury board outlines $128.5 million FY25–26 budget; public speakers urge continued library support and warn on taxes

The Simsbury Board of Finance on April 8 presented a proposed FY2025–26 town and education budget totaling about $128.45 million and outlined a plan to smooth a near-term spike in debt-service costs by using capital reserves, while public commenters urged continuing support for the Simsbury Public Library and warned about rising property taxes.

Board of Finance Chair Lisa Hefner said the combined town and Board of Education proposal, together with the fire district mill rate (which is set separately), would result in an estimated 2.55% tax increase and a sample mill rate of 34.16. For town and education budgets only, Hefner said the estimate is a 2.36% tax increase; she gave an example that a Simsbury home assessed at $400,000 would see about a $238 annual increase, or roughly $19.83 a month. “We worked hard to present a budget under 2.5%,” Hefner said.

The nut graf: Officials said the budget balances rising contractual and special-education costs, higher debt-service from prior capital projects, and minimal grand-list growth, while using one-time reserves to limit the immediate mill-rate impact. Residents at the hearing nonetheless urged caution, pressed for continued library programming, and asked the boards to plan for longer-term fiscal pressures.

Hefner told the hearing that the budget request totals roughly $128,451,969 and represents a 4.65% increase in total spending compared with the current year. Major drivers she highlighted include a $3.3 million (about 3.9%) increase in the Board of Education budget, a roughly $850,000 (2.95%) increase in the town operating budget, and an approximately $1.5 million (about 18.7%) rise in debt service tied to borrowing for previously approved projects such as Latimer Lane. Because the grand list grew very little (about 0.19%), Hefner said the town is relying on a mix of increased state aid, new non-tax fees, spending reductions and limited use of reserves to keep the mill-rate increase below the headline spending increase.

Officials described a debt-service smoothing plan that uses $1.3 million in capital reserves in year one, $700,000 in year two and $300,000 in year three to lower the immediate tax impact while the town pays down the borrowings that produce the spike. “The town has put money aside to pay for this plan, so there is no long term fiscal cliff,” Hefner said.

Board of Education Chairman Jeff Tindall said the board’s FY2026 request is about $3.3 million higher than the prior year (a 3.91% increase). Tindall described the superintendent, administrators and board working to manage inflation, negotiated salary increases, and sharply rising out‑of‑district special‑education tuition and transportation costs. “These data points . . . illustrate the further support for our vision to create more comprehensive program options for all students within the district,” Tindall said.

First Selectman Wendy Matsudas outlined the Board of Selectmen’s proposals and said her board unanimously approved its budget at six votes for and none against. Matsudas and town staff summarized department-level reductions the selectmen made, a $157,852 package of additional cuts the selectmen recommended, and capital projects prioritized for the coming year, including continued sidewalk and road work, Eno renovations and smaller CNR (capital nonrecurring) items.

Town Manager Mark Nelson described how the town evaluates the fiscal impact of proposed development, noting the town typically requires developers to provide studies at their expense (for example, projected pupil generation and effect on infrastructure). Finance Director Amy Meriwether provided fund-balance and reserve estimates: projected unassigned capital reserves at the end of FY25 were about $4.6 million before proposed uses; after planned uses (including Board of Education CNR projects) she projected an anticipated balance around $1.9 million by 06/30/2026.

At the hearing residents spoke for and against elements of the budget and raised planning questions. Multiple residents and library supporters urged the boards to maintain funding for the Simsbury Public Library, citing its volunteer hours, circulation statistics and state and national recognitions. Lehi Imsey, who read a submitted letter, said the library “is the cornerstone of the community” and warned that the loss of federal grant funding would require local support to continue summer reading programs, ebooks and interlibrary loan services.

Other residents warned of tax burdens and urged long-term planning. Charlie Gary said he would not vote for the budget this year because of rising taxes; another longtime resident said the town should plan for possible declines in the grand list and rising vacancies in office space. Speakers also asked for clarity about the board’s plans for the 2 Farms Village property: officials said the town has used capital reserves toward that purchase and that final closing details would be known in mid‑June with a target closing date by July 31.

Board direction and next steps: the Board of Finance said it intends to continue the public hearing on April 22 to collect additional comment and to finalize motions. The board discussed, and staff drafted motions for, using health-insurance reserves instead of general-fund balance to offset a $450,000 operating funding piece; members described the approach as preserving general-fund flexibility while using fund-specific reserves within policy limits. Officials cautioned that using reserves in this way reduces reserves available next year and could create a larger required increase in future years if costs do not moderate.

Votes at a glance: - Board of Selectmen: internally approved its FY2026 budget unanimously (6–0), reported by First Selectman Wendy Matsudas at the hearing (vote occurred prior to this public hearing). (No mover/second recorded at this hearing.) - Board of Finance: motion to approve the regular minutes of March 11, 2025 carried at this meeting with two recorded abstentions (Todd Burke and Bert Helfand); the board recorded the motion as carried and the clerk noted the abstentions. (Roll-call vote counts were not read aloud; the board recorded the motion as carried.)

Clarifying details and figures discussed at the hearing: - Proposed total FY2026 town + education budget: about $128,451,969 (presented by Lisa Hefner). - Estimated tax levy increase (amount to be raised by taxes): 2.83% (board calculation); tax increase for individuals presented as 2.36% for town + education only (Hefner). - Sample $400,000 home: ~$238 annual increase (Hefner). - Education increase: ~$3.3 million (about 3.9% over prior year) (Tindall). - Town operating increase: ~$850,000 (about 2.95%) (Matsudas). - Debt-service increase: ~$1.5 million (about 18.7%), driven by prior project borrowing including Latimer Lane (Hefner). - Capital-reserve smoothing plan: $1.3M (year 1), $700K (year 2), $300K (year 3), returning to $0 in year 4 (Hefner). - Motor-vehicle tax change: state law now uses straight depreciation from MSRP; local finance staff estimated median motor-vehicle tax savings in Simsbury of about 10% and provided an illustrative example of a model-year 2024 Honda CR‑V that would save roughly $79 under the new method (presented by Amy Meriwether via Hefner). - Capital financing recommended: roughly $8.6 million in capital financing across C&Rs and CIP; proposed bonding of about $3.1M in the budget with larger multi-year bond plans discussed by selectmen.

Authorities referenced in the hearing: - Connecticut state law on motor-vehicle valuation and tax cap (32.46 mills) and the newly mandated depreciation methodology for motor-vehicle assessment (referenced by Lisa Hefner and Amy Meriwether). - Town fiscal policy limit on debt service (policy: debt service capped at no more than 8% of the operating budget) (referenced by Lisa Hefner).

Proper names mentioned (selection): Simsbury; Latimer Lane; 2 Farms Village; Simsbury Public Library; Simsbury Volunteer Ambulance; Simsbury Community Media (SCM); Eno; Station Street; Flower Bridge.

Community relevance and risks: officials stressed limited grand-list growth (about +0.19%), persistent inflation and potential federal funding changes (for education and library grants) as key risks. Boards signaled an intent to avoid drawing down general-fund balance where possible and to structure one-time reserve use so the town retains flexibility for unforeseen contingencies.

The Board of Finance left the hearing open to April 22 for further public comment and to consider formal motions drafted by staff on reserve use. Staff said they will bring updated year‑end projections and any revised motions to that meeting.

Ending: The hearing continued after extensive public comment and detailed presentations from the Board of Finance, Board of Education and Board of Selectmen; the finance board scheduled a follow-up session for April 22 to finalize decisions and motions and to receive updated financial projections.