Burt Bacharach’s ditty Wishin’ and Hopin’ that soared soulful Dusty Springfield to the top of the charts all over the world opens with wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’…plannin’ and dreamin’…
That was about a guy, but those emotions can be applied to the city budget proposal Mayor Joe Ganim issued to the City Council on Tuesday that calls for no tax increase with many assumptions hopeful the projected bacon arrives from the state budget, still a work in progress, for the municipal budget year starting July 1.
Bridgeport’s nine-member state legislative delegation is trying to jawbone extra state dollars to make the local spending plan whole.
Overall, Ganim’s $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 other large pieces of the budget: $190,444,308 for public safety and $66,024,661 for public works.
The mill rate remains the same at 43.45 mills.
One mill is equal to $1.00 of tax for each $1000 of assessment.
Example calculation to determine real estate taxes.
Mill rate: 43.45 mills (.04345)
If the 70% assessed value is $200,000
The tax calculation is: $200,000 x .04345 = $8,690
The mill rate for Motor Vehicle is 32.46, but city finance officials say motor vehicle owners will pay less in car taxes because of the state’s restructuring of auto assessments.
See full spending plan – FINAL_2025-2026 Mayor Proposed Budget
Snapshot of budget:
This budget season comes with extra trepidation because of Donald Trump’s looming cuts to federal grants the state relies upon to feed local municipalities. How deep will they be? And how much will Governor Ned Lamont and state legislative leaders dip into the state fiscal guardrails that has the state swimming billions deep in surpluses?
The proposed spending plan is now in the hands of the seven-member Budget & Appropriations Committee, led by Scott Burns and Ernie Newton, that will process the better part of two months reviewing the plan, interviewing department heads about priorities, conducting public hearings before making changes and going to the full council for approval.
The mayor has a veto window, if needed, prior to official setting of the mill rate.
The city recently empaneled a 13-member Charter Revision Commission to review the document that guides municipal rules and regulations. One topic under consideration to bring to voters for approval is buying some time on the April calendar while the state budget plays out to craft a local budget without so many unknowns.
