Middletown council adopts Democratic budget after rejecting Republican alternative; several district budgets also pass

MIDDLETOWN — The Middletown Common Council on May 13 adopted the city's fiscal year 2026–27 general fund budget along party lines after rejecting a Republican alternative and approved several special-district budgets.

The council voted down the Republican proposal before approving the Democratic caucus's version by roll call. The Republican plan failed on a 4–7–1 vote after its presentation and caucus remarks; the Democratic general fund passed 8–4.

The Democratic caucus's budget, presented in full by council members who read line-item adjustments into the record, restores multiple positions the mayor's proposal had reduced to nominal ($1) figures and identifies nonnegotiable expenditures including full-time salaries, overtime, employee benefits and debt service. Council members and staff repeatedly referenced the minimum budget requirement (MBR) that governs local education funding during discussion and exchanges over how state one-time education aid is treated.

At the meeting, several residents and social-service providers urged the council not to cut programs they said were life-saving. Kelly Craft, director of the regional coordinated access network, said the proposed budget forced the health department to choose between a warming center (operated by St. Vincent de Paul) and domestic-violence services: “They can either cut funding from the warming center or domestic violence. Both of these programs provide life saving measures and neither should be cut,” she said.

Stacy, identified in the transcript as the Eddie Shelter's program manager, told the council a proposed $5,000 cut would reduce capacity when winter demand is highest. Union leader Vinnie Ruffino, Local 466 president, warned staffing reductions and unfilled vacancies would force remaining employees to "work double or triple to cover those vacancies," saying the change would hurt morale.

Supporters of the Russell Library also spoke during public comment. Anne Percival thanked the council for preserving the library's budget and noted a $50,000 state award that will continue the Dolly Parton Imagination Library project for children ages 0–5. Eamon Wisniewski, who serves on a Russell Library feasibility committee, urged the council to consider longer-term infrastructure investments to reduce recurring maintenance demands.

Council debate focused on balancing the range of municipal obligations with concerns about tax affordability. The Republican caucus argued for sharper discretionary cuts and rolling back ARPA-funded items that it said should not be part of ongoing spending; a public commenter identified as Rogers told the council, “The crisis is over. The federal money is gone, and anything created with ARPA now falls onto the Middletown taxpayer.” The Democratic caucus countered that some budget items are contractual or statutorily required and that the proposal sought to thread the needle between fiscal restraint and service preservation.

The council also approved a slate of special-district budgets. The Middletown Fire District budget passed unanimously (12–0); council members set the fire district mill rate at 7.5 mills. The sanitation collection district and the Business Improvement District budgets passed unanimously (12–0); the business district rate was set at 2.35 mills. The Water Pollution Control Authority's sewer budget and the water department budget were also approved (roll-call tallies reported in the meeting record).

Officials clarified a point several members raised about one-time state education aid: the finance director and staff stated the state will route the aid directly to the board of education this year and again next year; the Democratic caucus said it did not fold that state aid into its city contribution when calculating the city's education baseline for MBR purposes.

The mayor thanked staff, department heads and council members for what he described as thousands of hours of work on the budget process. The council adjourned after completing the scheduled votes.

Votes at a glance

- Republican general fund budget: failed, 4 ayes, 7 nays, 1 abstention. - Democratic general fund budget: approved, 8 ayes, 4 nays. - Middletown Fire District budget: approved, 12–0; fire district mill rate set at 7.5 mills. - Sanitation collection district budget: approved, unanimous 12–0. - Water Pollution Control Authority (sewer) budget: approved, roll-call recorded as unanimous in the meeting transcript. - Water department budget: approved (roll-call reported 11 ayes, 1 abstention in the record). - Business Improvement District budget (special district): approved, 12–0; mill rate set at 2.35 mills.

What happens next

The adopted budgets go into effect as printed in the resolutions and the tax-collection schedule referenced in the council's motions. Council and city staff will follow up on operational decisions and any department requests for reallocation or further clarification in the regular budget cycle.