Bridgeport officials debate funding for Lighthouse youth programs and expansion of summer jobs

Regina, who presented for the Lighthouse after-school program, and Mark Harp, youth programs manager, asked the council for additional funding to expand services and summer employment slots. They requested $150,000 to hire roughly 85 more summer youth (bringing the summer total toward 225), $65,000 to open an after-school site at the Taylor/Dunbar area, and $100,000 to fund Friday Night Live across three high schools.

Regina said the Lighthouse partnership network provides before- and after-school programming, youth clubs, and summer services and that parent fees and grants fund much of the work. She noted tradeoffs in grant rules and fee caps that have reduced parent-fee revenue: "For example the fee was $20, but the funders have now capped us at $15... for the summer it was $40 we were able to charge. Now it's $30." That change and limits on proof-of-income collection, presenters said, have reduced expected program revenue.

Why it matters: council members pressed whether the money collected by Lighthouse remains in the program (presenters confirmed Lighthouse parent fees stay with Lighthouse) and why several elementary schools—six of eight without on-site Lighthouse sites—are clustered on the city's east side. One council member said that in past years parent fees approached $800,000 and asked why current collections are lower.

Council reaction and next steps: several council members urged larger increases, with one suggesting $250,000 if feasible; others raised equity concerns about which schools and neighborhoods lack on-site programming. Regina said providers and contracts determine site operations and said the department will re-apply for grants where appropriate. The committee asked the administration to provide more detailed revenue and program-site data to guide budget deliberations.