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Cheshire budget committee forwards proposed FY26-27 budget with 31.68 mill recommendation after public comments
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Summary
After public comment and extensive discussion about education funding, municipal cuts and revenue options, the budget committee voted to forward a FY26-27 operating budget recommendation that yields a 31.68 mill rate (a 1.94‑mill / 6.52% increase) to the full council; the committee vote was 2 in favor, 1 opposed.
The Cheshire Budget Committee on April 23 voted to forward a proposed FY26-27 operating budget to the full Town Council that reflects a recommended mill rate of 31.68 — a 1.94‑mill increase from the prior year and a roughly 6.5% tax increase for the average taxpayer.
The committee meeting followed a public‑comment period in which residents and school officials urged protecting Board of Education programs and staff. The town’s technology director, Mike Papa, said deferred equipment replacement will increasingly strain school operations; several public commenters and board of education members warned that proposed reductions could force cuts to middle‑school athletics, increase class sizes and limit special‑education supports. Board of Education member Matt Kollauer said he initially voted no on the BOE budget in January because of transportation and stopgap insurance costs but urged the council to fund the BOE proposal now given current needs.
Town Manager Sean Kimball and finance staff summarized adjustments to expenditures and revenues since the last workshop: a $1.635 million reduction in projected debt-service increases, program cuts and revenue assumptions (including possible ECS state aid changes) produced a draft mill rate of 31.68. Staff and councilors discussed specific cuts and trading items — bulky-waste drop‑off service, fireworks support for the chamber’s fall festival, and a proposed civilian sign maintainer position in the police department — and possible temporary use of the town’s medical‑benefits trust to smooth budget pressures.
Councilors debated whether to restore a $300,000 reduction to the Board of Education budget; the committee considered but did not adopt restoring $150,000 in this meeting. After closing debate, the budget committee voted to move the recommended budget to the full council for final consideration next week; the committee recorded two votes in favor and one opposed. The council will consider the budget and a final vote in a subsequent meeting.
