Norwalk council sets $450.48 million FY2025–26 budget cap after hours of public comment on schools

The Norwalk Common Council voted unanimously Feb. 25 to set a maximum limit of $450,481,097 on total appropriations for the city’s general fund for fiscal year 2025–26, a measure the council chair said represents months of departmental review and public input.

The cap — described to the council as a 2.5% increase for city departments and a 4% increase for the Board of Education — also includes a planned $8 million draw from the city’s general fund balance intended to temper the impact of reassessment-related residential tax increases.

The vote came after more than two hours of public participation focused overwhelmingly on public school funding. Dozens of parents, teachers, principals and students addressed the council during a long public-comment period, urging the council to increase the council’s recommended limit above the 4% figure or to use additional reserves to avoid cuts to student-facing positions and…