Wallingford presents 3.86% central office budget request for 2025–26, separate $3.99M capital ask

Superintendent (identified in the transcript as “Missus Belizzi”) presented the Wallingford School District’s proposed central office budget for the 2025–26 school year at the Operations Committee’s special meeting on Jan. 16, outlining a combined sustained and strategic request of 3.86% and a separate capital request of $3,985,601.

The proposal breaks the request into a sustained-services increase of 3.726 (a $4,097,393 rise), strategic enhancements of 0.134% (about $157,900) and a separate capital package. “Tonight, we are here, for us to present or for me to present the, proposed central office budget for the 20 25 20 26 school year,” the superintendent said while opening the presentation. The capital list includes boiler replacements, elevator replacements and other large facilities projects that the district identified as potentially bondable.

Why it matters: the budget request funds health insurance, transportation, utilities and position changes the district says are tied to enrollment trends and an anticipated relocation. District staff told the board they are predicting a 10% increase in health insurance costs (an increase the presentation places at about $1 million, to a $15.6 million total for health insurance) and a $1 million increase for transportation, bringing transportation costs to roughly $8.5…