Danbury council adopts $329M-plus FY2025-26 budget after extended debate on school finances and reserves

Danbury's City Council on May 6 adopted the ordinance making appropriations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and levied the property tax for FY2025'2026 after extended public comment and lengthy discussion among council members.

The council approved the budget as presented and amended by a 3% increase to the mayor's salary, with the mayoral raise set to begin Dec. 1, 2025, and another 3% step on July 1, 2026. Council President Peter Buzade moved the main appropriation ordinance and the council voted it through after a roll call.

Why it matters: The budget packages new investments in education, public safety and infrastructure while relying in part on one-time sources and withdrawals from the city's reserve fund. Supporters said the plan funds long-deferred needs and positions Danbury to withstand potential cuts in federal pass-throughs; opponents warned that relying on reserves and one-time funds risks higher burdens on taxpayers in the future and asked for more line-item transparency from the Board of Education.

What speakers said: During the 30-minute public-comment period residents and stakeholders largely focused on schools and taxes. Jim Lapine, a Danbury resident, told the council, “My taxes are gonna go up approximately $230,” and said he supported the budget because of improvements to streets, parks and public safety. Kate Kaneta, who said she had spoken at the earlier public hearing, urged council members not to make cuts to the education budget and highlighted a $12 million investment in operating funds. Sylvia Mourning, a bilingual paraeducator, said the mayor's proposal "prioritizes public safety by hiring more police officers and firefighters" and represents the largest increase to the public-school budget in years.

Council debate centered on several recurring themes: whether the Board of Education's reported surpluses over the prior two years (discussed in committee and in the public hearing) had been adequately explained, the use of nearly $9.5 million from the unassigned fund balance in this budget, and the degree to which one-time federal or state funds can be treated as recurring revenue. Councilman Paul Rotello argued for competitive executive salaries and successfully moved the mayoral-salary amendment, saying compensation should keep pace with inflation. Council members including Duane Perkins and Councilwoman Holly Robinson emphasized the importance of longer-term oversight of school finances and creation of an ad hoc or task force to provide regular reporting to the council.

Details on fiscal drivers and oversight: Finance staff and the school finance lead explained that a large portion of the recent school-year surplus was related to benefits forecasting and unspent health-care/line-benefits (healthcare, dental, social security, long-term disability), plus vacant positions; they estimated the majority of the $7.9 million referenced in hearings was related to benefits. Council members pressed for a detailed line-item breakdown of the reported $9 million in unspent funds and asked that the administration and school finance provide it to the council soon.

The vote: The council conducted a roll call and approved the ordinance and tax levy (voice and roll-call sequences recorded in council minutes). Several council members voted no or registered concerns during roll-call; the motion passed by a council majority.

What happens next: The budget takes effect July 1, 2025. Council members who dissented said they will continue to press for regular, detailed fiscal reporting from the Board of Education and for a plan to restore the city's unassigned fund balance.

Provenance: This article is based on the council meeting transcript for the May 6, 2025 Danbury City Council meeting (topic introduced SEG 819, full-ordinance motion SEG 2072, roll-call vote SEG 2977'2016).