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Darien council approves 2025–26 tax levy ordinance after discussion on police-pension funding
Summary
The Darien City Council voted unanimously to approve the 2025–26 tax-levy ordinance, keeping options open to abate the levy during the budget process and noting the levy has not been raised in years; staff said the levy helps cover police pension contributions.
The Darien City Council unanimously approved an ordinance setting the property-tax levy for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2025, and ending April 30, 2026, after a brief discussion about pension funding and budget timing.
City staff described the levy as procedural for now and said it preserves the council’s ability to abate or finalize amounts during upcoming budget deliberations. “The city has not raised its property tax levy for many many years,” a city staff member said, noting prior levies did not fully cover police-pension obligations in recent years and that last substantive levy increases occurred long ago.
Council members said the vote keeps options open while budget work continues this winter. Staff said the council previously used levy adjustments to match the city’s police-pension contribution and that this ordinance follows the same administrative steps with the county clerk before final budget decisions are made.
The motion passed on a roll-call vote with seven in favor and none opposed. The council scheduled goal-setting and budget committee meetings beginning in February and reiterated that the levy could be abated during the budget process if the council so directs.
Next steps: staff will file the levy with the county clerk and the council will address final levy and budget allocations during the scheduled winter budget sessions.
