New Britain council adopts amended general-fund budget, directs state aid to education and park project

The New Britain City Council on Monday adopted an amended resolution on the general-fund budget for fiscal 20262027 that directs a newly secured state aid package and other one-time revenues toward education and select capital projects.

Alderman Santiago presented the amendment package, which the council approved after debate. The package decreases the proposed use of the fund balance and increases several revenue and transfer lines, including a $13,292,120 increase in state education-related revenue, a $564,443 transfer to the Willow Street Park Phase 2 project, and increases to the medical self-insurance and workers'-compensation transfer lines. Santiago said the changes "take full advantage of the additional state funding" secured by the mayor and the city's state delegation and urged adoption.

Why it matters: The amendment moves one-time state aid and other identified surplus items into education-related accounts and capital projects, aiming to limit draws on the city's savings while responding to a Board of Education funding request.

Council debate centered on how to pay for the Board of Education's updated request and whether to treat certain revenues as recurring. Alderman Simpson said the Board of Education's "new ask" was $5,679,490 and described a remaining gap of about $1.6 million to meet commitments including library funding. Simpson proposed a series of modest revenue estimate increases and suggested improving tax collection (raising the assumed collection rate from 97% to 98%) to generate roughly $1.5 million without raising taxes. Amy, identified in the record as a finance official, said the $148,270,768 figure in the proposed budget reflects a 97% expected collection rate and that 97% is based on historical precedent; she said she would need to check records to confirm higher rates.

Several council members cautioned against relying on one-time revenues for recurring costs. A separate motion to transfer $1.6 million from fund balance to the Board of Education (split between MBR and non-operating accounts) failed on a roll-call vote; councilors debated the sustainability of committing fund-balance dollars to line items that recur in future budgets. Ultimately, the council adopted Santiago's amendment package in a recorded vote reported in the transcript as 9-5 in favor.

What passed: The adopted amendment package increases state education revenue by about $13.3 million, funds Willow Street Park Phase 2, increases transfers to workers' compensation and medical self-insurance, and adjusts several fee and revenue estimates as detailed by the sponsor. The council recorded votes by roll call as part of the procedure; the final adoption of item three as amended was recorded with a 9-5 outcome in the meeting transcript.

Next steps: The council adopted item three as amended; the clerk and mayor closed debate and proceeded to the next agenda items. Any operational or accounting transfers will be processed by finance and the clerk's office according to city procedures.