East Hartford residents urge council to reconsider 3.4% tax increase in mayor’s proposed budget

At a special meeting, the Town of East Hartford Town Council heard more than an hour of public comment on Mayor Martin’s proposed fiscal 2026–27 budget, which the mayor submitted to the council for review. Residents and callers pressed the council to reconsider a proposed 3.4% property‑tax increase and raised questions about senior tax relief, unrecorded police follow‑up on a stolen payment and alternatives to relying on property taxes.

The proposed budget covers the fiscal year that begins July 1 and runs through June 30, 2027; the council was told the draft would raise total expenditures by about 2.9%. Chair Keogh summarized key allocations included in the plan: an additional $1.2 million for the town’s pension contribution, $600,000 for employee health funds, a roughly $500,000 reduction in planned capital expenditures and an approximate $1.9 million increase in the Board of Education allocation. The package also includes three new positions — an assistant fire marshal, a…