Council Increases School Operating Budget by $1 Million, Adds Funding for Library, Homelessness Prevention

On a party-line vote, the Democratic-majority New Britain City Council has approved a city budget that adds $1.1 million to the city schools’ operating budget, which had been again flat-funded in the budget proposed by Mayor Erin Stewart (R), and added $175,000 for New Britain Public Library and $20,000 for homelessness prevention.

The budget was approved at a special Council meeting on Wednesday evening.

In her budget, Stewart had proposed no increase in operating funds for New Britain’s schools for the upcoming budget year that begins in July, making her total city operating allocations for city schools over her twelve years as mayor just 3.48% higher in total – an average increase per year of only 0.29%.

Stewart has often been criticized for a pattern of low city funding to New Britain’s schools. The low city education funding been tied to low test scores in the city’s schools.

As in the past, Stewart’s budget plan included funding in a nebulous “non-operating” budget line under “Education Department”, this year, $2,646,191 in this line, which is $1.1 million more than this year, but $2.2 million less than the 2024 budget year.

An amendment proposed by Council Democrats moved $1.1 million of that “non-operating” line to the school system operating budget. The amendment also moved money from two vacant city staff positions to the increase in the Library budget and funding for homelessness prevention.

The Council’s approved budget leaves intact a modest decrease in city taxes.

The budget now goes to Stewart for signature or veto.

The city charter says that,

The Common Council shall consider and Act upon the Mayor’s Proposed Budget until it shall take a final action thereon, which shall not be later than sixty (60) days following the date the Mayor’s Proposed Budget Ordinance was submitted to the Common Council.

It appears that 60 day deadline expires on June 8th.

However, a charter provision on final approval of the city budget says that a mayoral veto can cause the mayor’s budget to take effect over the one approved by the Council, if the Council cannot override that veto by vote of at least 10 of its 15 members by the 60 day deadline.

The current Council has 8 Democrats and 7 Republicans.

That charter provision says,

In the event said Council fails to override the Mayor’s veto and sixty-day period referred to in §10-3(e) of this Charter expires, then the Mayor’s Proposed Budget shall be the Approved Budget.

At its public hearing in April on the city budget proposed by Stewart, the Council heard residents’ concerns about the need for greater funding for city schools, emergency housing, completion of the Allen Street project and the Public Library.

More members of the public spoke on the budget in the public participation session before tonight’s meeting, in support of funding for schools, housing and the Library.

Stewart’s latest $273,493,952 budget plan for fiscal year 2026 provided 46.8% of the city budget to the school operating budget. That is a more than 5% reduction from the 52% of the city allocated to education in fiscal year 2014.

With inflation taken into account, the $128 million Stewart’s proposed for the next fiscal year was about $29.8 million less operating budget than the city allocated to New Britain’s schools in fiscal year 2014.