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Board of Education chair urges Danbury council to back mayor's budget; council hears no public opposition
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Summary
At an April 22 public hearing, Louis Sabriton, chair of Danbury's Board of Education, urged the City Council to support the mayor's proposed FY 2026–27 budget, praising its collaboration and a fully funded increase to the board's appropriation; council closed the hearing and moved into a committee of the whole.
Danbury — April 22, 2026 — Louis Sabriton, chairperson of the Danbury Board of Education, told the City of Danbury Common Council on Wednesday that he strongly supports the mayor's proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027. "This budget reflects something we did not always have until just a few years ago. Honesty, responsibility, and true collaboration," Sabriton said, urging the council to approve the plan and its increase to the Board of Education's appropriation.
The comment came during a public hearing at roughly 6:03 p.m. called by the council's presiding officer, Peter Bussehage. Sabriton said the superintendent and her team produced a "thoughtful, transparent, and data driven budget" that addresses classrooms, teachers and students. He asked the council to support the mayor's proposal and continue the collaborative approach between the city and the school board.
Council members paused for public comment on each agenda item. Item 1 on the hearing was the ordinance making appropriations for FY 2026—2027 and a resolution levying property taxes for the same year; item 2 was an ordinance appropriating $3,000,000 for public improvements in the 02/2027 capital budget and authorizing $3,000,000 in bonds; items 3 and 4 were ordinances to establish sewer and water rates effective July 1, 2026. The presiding officer invited remarks on each item; beyond Sabriton's statement in support of the budget, no other members of the public spoke on the listed items.
Councilman Frank Salvatore told the chamber earlier that one ordinance listed as item 7 (amendments to sections 14-21 through 14-80) was being pulled because substantive changes still needed to be made; Salvatore said the item will be returned to the council after those revisions. After completing the public-comment portion, the presiding officer called for a motion to close the public hearing; a motion was made and seconded and the council closed the hearing by voice vote. The presiding officer then called for and received a motion to adjourn the public hearing and continue into the committee of the whole without taking a break.
No formal votes on any of the listed ordinances or the budget were recorded during the hearing; the council's next procedural step was to convene as the committee of the whole. The council did not take testimony opposing the budget, and no amendments or formal actions on budget items were adopted during the public hearing.
