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Middletown meets state delegation to press 2026 legislative priorities, schedules regionalization talks with Newport
Summary
Town leaders and their state delegation reviewed priorities for the 2026 legislative session — from library reimbursement and veteran tax exemptions to speed cameras and school funding — and scheduled a public regionalization workshop with Newport for Dec. 8.
Middletown officials met with state legislators on the town’s legislative priorities for the 2026 session, emphasizing local revenue, school funding and public-safety proposals. Council leaders thanked the delegation for help last year with a 1% local hotel-tax increase that the town estimates will generate about $1,000,000 annually and outlined a slate of items they want the General Assembly to consider.
Sen. Lou DePalma, speaking for the delegation, framed the revenue and human-services context for the upcoming session and highlighted large, long-term pressures on Medicaid and SNAP that influence state and municipal budgets. “We were very successful in getting the hotel tax increase last year by 1%,” he said, adding that the town’s advocacy and ongoing conversations with leadership were decisive.
Town officials asked the delegation to pursue multiple local requests: an update to state library reimbursement rates (the current reference figure of $250 per square foot dates to 2017 and is inconsistent with post‑COVID construction costs), broader veteran property‑tax exemptions for honorably discharged Middletown residents, and creation of a pooled high‑cost special‑education fund to cover students with exceptional needs. Officials also asked for help reintroducing legislation to secure reimbursement for a regional emergency shelter and to revisit payments‑in‑lieu‑of‑taxes (PILOT) allocations so communities that host large non‑taxable properties such as Naval Station Newport are not disproportionately burdened.
On traffic safety, council members and the delegation discussed expanding speed‑camera authority beyond school zones to target stretches that funnel seasonal beach traffic. Town staff described criteria under consideration (traffic volume and average speeds) and asked whether town‑specific legislation or a broader state change would be the best route.
The delegation and council confirmed they would hold a public meeting to continue regional talks with Newport; staff said a joint public workshop is planned for Dec. 8 at the Wyndham in Middletown. The delegation said town officials should prioritize a short list of legislative asks and that formal resolutions would follow once the council finalizes priorities.
Next steps: council staff will circulate prioritized items and formal resolutions for the delegation, schedule the public regionalization workshop with Newport, and pursue statutory language and timing with the General Assembly.
