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West Haven council unanimously amends charter to shift budget-adoption dates
Summary
At a Feb. 26 special meeting, the West Haven City Council voted unanimously to amend the city charter to move mayoral budget submission and budget-adoption dates so the city can incorporate state budget figures; the change takes effect March 28, 2026.
The West Haven City Council on Feb. 26 unanimously approved a resolution to amend the city charter’s budget-adoption dates so the mayor can present a budget after Connecticut’s Legislature completes its budget work.
Mayor Dorinda Borer told the council the proposal would move the mayor’s deadline to present the city budget to May 7 to allow the city to incorporate state funding figures that the state must pass no later than May 6. "It makes sense," the mayor said, noting repeated uncertainty when the state budget is delayed and highlighting a push for additional education funding that could affect local allocations.
The resolution, read into the record and labeled an amendment under Connecticut General Statute section 7-191b, sets the mayor’s presentation, required public notice, and public-hearing windows so the city can align its calendar with the state’s schedule; the resolution specifies an effective date of March 28, 2026. City legal counsel confirmed that, under home-rule authority, the charter dates may be amended as proposed and that the dates listed in the charter represent the latest permissible days by which the specified steps must occur.
Council members asked staff how the revised timeline would affect deliberations, public notice and the tax billing schedule. Staff outlined the proposed calendar: the mayor to present on or before May 7, public notice and a public hearing on May 18, deliberations beginning May 19 with scheduled budget deliberation meetings across the following weeks and a final passage target of June 4 (the council noted the capital budget timeline tracks separately and allows additional time for capital items). The council also discussed shortening the local newspaper publication window for the public notice from five days to three days to allow timely printing and distribution of the budget package.
A motion to approve the resolution was made by Councilman Edward McMillan and seconded by Councilwoman Sarah Akparelli. The roll-call vote recorded all present voting yes; absent members were recorded as such. The resolution passed and will take effect March 28, 2026.
The council did not appoint new commissioners for the upcoming Charter Revision Commission at the special meeting; scheduling for seating the CRC and related deadlines was discussed separately during the meeting.
