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New Milford council adopts 2026 budget, authorizes ordinance to exceed municipal appropriation limits
Summary
The New Milford mayor and council adopted the 2026 municipal budget and an ordinance to exceed appropriation limits (establish a cap bank), citing efforts to avoid layoffs and preserve services despite a modest tax increase; the auditor said school-tax corrections reduced the net impact for many homeowners.
The New Milford mayor and council on Thursday adopted the borough's 2026 municipal budget and passed Ordinance 2026 col 16, authorizing the borough to exceed appropriation limits and establish a cap bank.
Borough auditor Steven Wilcox told the council the budget avoids layoffs and service cuts while raising municipal taxes. "This budget doesn't do any of that. There's no layoffs. There's no cutting services," Wilcox said, adding that a certification error in the school budget last year reduced school taxes for calendar year 2027 by about $1 million and lowered the combined municipal and school tax impact for many households. "Together, the municipal taxes and the school taxes are going up $233 net," he said, describing that number as an average estimate.
Why it matters: council members told residents the governing body chose to preserve public-safety staffing, recreation programs and library and senior services rather than cut services to avoid higher short-term impacts for vulnerable users. Council members discussed wide regional pressure on municipal budgets caused by inflation, healthcare and contract costs and said the town's increase will be modest compared with some neighboring jurisdictions.
The council opened a public hearing on the budget and invited comments; resident Kendra Moore asked whether the combined municipal and school tax increase referenced was $237. Officials and the auditor clarified the working estimate of about $233, with council members citing slightly different approximations in the discussion.
After the hearing, the council opened the ordinance for public comment, closed the public portion with no speakers, and adopted Ordinance 2026 col 16 by roll call. The council also moved to waive full reading and to adopt the 2026 municipal budget through two companion resolutions (2026 col 126 and 2026 col 127); roll-call votes recorded all present members voting in favor.
The mayor and council scheduled final ministerial steps: the budget will be filed as required and any third-quarter tax bills will be calculated after county rate adjustments later this summer.
Next step: the council moved to closed session at the end of the meeting; officials indicated no action would follow closed session and the meeting would adjourn.
