The first public hearing conducted by the City Council’s Budget and Appropriations Committee for the fiscal year starting July 1 will take place tonight (Thursday), 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 45 Lyon Terrace.
Mayor Joe Ganim’s no-tax-increase $640,780,495 proposed budget provides $245,735,982 for schools, $3 million more from the current year budget in local spending for the cash-strapped district, about $32 million less than what was requested by school leaders, but Ganim – as other mayors across Connecticut – argues the state education contribution is woefully behind inflationary support for schools and more needs to be done.
The mayor’s budget also relies on financing assumptions from the state as the Hartford budget process plays out during this legislative session.
Technically, this public hearing covers the city’s capital plan addressing building, vehicle and infrastructure improvements, but the budget committee has allowed in the past commentary about other aspects of the spending plan.
