The Common Council will hold three meetings (May 5,6,7) to review the Mayor’s proposed budget for the July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027.
City departments under the jurisdiction of the Planning, Zoning and Housing Committee (PZH) will be reviewed Tuesday, May 5. The Administration, Finance, Law and Public Services Committee (AFLPS) will continue the review on Wednesday, May 6. The AFLPS Committee will devote the Thursday, May 7 meeting to the school district budget with the Superintendent and Board of Education. All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall, 27 West Main Street.
COMMON COUNCIL UPDATE
The proposed $272,512,376 from Mayor Bobby Sanchez calls for level spending that keeps the property tax mill rate flat at 39.18. The current year budget is $273,492,952, only $19,424 less than the new one.
In presenting his first budget to the Council on April 15th, Sanchez said that his budget is “without cuts to services or city staffing, achieving savings with work for greater efficiencies” and prioritizes “investments in infrastructure, quality of life and neighborhood improvement.” On education, the mayor raises the Minimum Basic Requirement (MBR) in local school aid by $1 million to $129 million to establish a sustainable path to school funding without resorting to one-time, non-operating funds not immediately available to the Board of Education. The flat funding of the MBR in previous years has resulted in New Britain ranking near the bottom in local aid.
As deliberations move forward on the city budget a substantial boost in both education aid and town aid was adopted by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Lamont on May 2nd that will increase revenues by $17,063,809, including $13,292,120 for schools and $4,671,689 in the municipal budget. The increases will be added to the estimates proposed by the mayor for 2026-2027. The estimate of $72,360,710 in state aid for education will increase to $85,652,830, an 18.3 percent increase over what was appropriated in the two-year state budget adopted last year.
The 132-page newly formatted budget book from the Sanchez Administration contains departmental overviews and summaries of proposed expenditures and revenues that more clearly explain allocations and revenues than General Fund budgets of previous years when a 315-page spreadsheet document was provided. Appendices provide a line-by-line breakdown.
Following subcommittees’ review, the municipal budget will be sent on to the Common Council for final action and adoption.
Property Tax Relief Deadline is May 15 for Elderly Homeowners
Eligible individuals and couples age 65 or individuals who are permanently disabled have until May 15 to apply for property tax relief under the Connecticut property tax circuit breaker tax credit program.
The law applies to homeowners or persons who hold a tenancy for life if their 2025 incomes did not exceed $46,300 for single/widowed individuals or married persons with incomes of $56,500 or less.
Eligibility to apply is based on the Grand list of Oct.1, 2025 and ownership, according to the City Assessor’s Office. The Assessors office or the Senior Center may require all other proofs of income that may be necessary for the certification of the claim (Senior Center, 55 Pearl Street 860 826-3553). Applications are available at the Assessor’s office or the Senior Center.
Eligibility requirements include being at least 65 years of age as of December 31, 2025 or over 18 and permanently disabled. Your 2025 income cannot exceed $56,500 if you’re married or $46,300 if you’re single/widowed. Applicants must provide the Assessor’s office (27 West Main Street) or the New Britain Senior Center with a copy of your 2025 federal income tax return if you file one, and a copy of your 2025 Social Security 1099 form.
John McNamara is an Alderman from Ward 4 and the Common Council Majority Leader.
NB Politicus 