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Bridgeport manager unveils 2026 draft budget and proposes 1-mill option to cover rising debt service
Summary
Bridgeport officials presented draft 2026 general and sewer fund budgets Nov. 11 and identified rising debt-service needs tied to planned borrowing that could be funded by a proposed 1-mill municipal real-estate tax increase.
Borough officials presented the first draft of Bridgeport—orough's 2026 general and sewer fund budgets at the Nov. 11 council meeting and flagged rising debt-service costs that may require revenue action.
Manager (identified in the presentation) said the draft general fund totals $6,874,500, an 8.3% increase from the 2025 budgeted figure. He broke down revenue streams, saying real estate/property taxes are the largest source (about $2,875,000 or 42% of the budget) and that earned-income taxes are projected at $1.8 million. He noted nonrecurring revenues tied to the Riverpointe development —hiefly transfer and permit fees re declining and will reduce next year.
On expenditures, salaries are the largest category (about 38% of the general fund, roughly $2.63 million). The manager identified several increases including legal expenses, engineering, utilities and a new $50,000 line for third-party inspections in the building-and-codes department.
The manager said multiple planned capital projects and a projected $3 million borrowing for strategic property acquisitions will increase debt service substantially in 2026. To cover much of the projected debt-service rise, he presented a proposal to increase the municipal real-estate millage by 1 mill (from 12.23 to 13.23 mills). He emphasized the choice was a recommendation to consider rather than a council decision at the Nov. 11 meeting.
To illustrate the household impact, he gave three examples: a property assessed at $100,000 would see roughly a $100 annual increase under a 1-mill change; a smaller and larger example showed annual increases of about $98 and $185 for sample homes at different assessed values.
On the sewer side, the draft projects $1,585,560 in revenue (up about 1.7%); sewer revenues will be affected by new riverfront properties while one-time tap-in fee revenue is declining. The manager closed the presentation by saying council will see more formalized general fund, sewer, liquid fuels and capital fund figures at future meetings before any advertising or adoption decisions are made.
What happens next: council will consider the recommendation and review finalized budget figures in upcoming meetings; any tax-rate change would require formal action and public notice.
