Board of Estimate & Taxation 04-15-2026

The City of Norwalk Connecticut's Board of Estimate & Taxation held a meeting on April 15, 2026, to review revised operating budget proposals from both the city and the Board of Education. The city presented a revised budget with an 8.5% increase, reduced from an initial over 10%, achieving savings of over $4.5 million through measures such as minor restructuring, not filling vacant positions, and new policies on travel and office supplies. The overall combined increase with the Board of Education was reduced to 6.54%, with a net savings of about $2.3 million. Discussions included pension funding adjustments, fee increases in recreation and parks, and concerns about maintaining the city's AAA bond rating. The Board of Education presented a 4.9% budget increase proposal, focusing on managing special education costs, early childhood education expansion, and transportation contract increases. They also addressed enrollment-based budget adjustments and efforts to protect school-based budgets from further cuts. The meeting included detailed discussions on tax levy impacts, funding sources including state grants, and the need for specific reduction proposals from board members ahead of a follow-up meeting on April 20. Additionally, there were procurement-related discussions about the bidding process for health insurance providers and management of redevelopment agency grants and projects. No votes were taken during this session, but members were tasked with preparing amendment proposals for the upcoming meeting.