2026-2027 Town Budget
Town of Southbury
Selectmen now have the First Selectman’s budget and have the authority to make changes, as it makes its way to the Board of Finance for final approval.
The First Selectman has proposed a 6.49% increase in the Town’s budget. Ouch. With R15 expected somewhere around 7%, we have some things to consider as voters.
If we look at the dollars, Tim is asking for $1 million dollars more than last year, almost to the dollar. Where is that million dollars going?
I’m hearing very vague answers in “inflation”, “labor”… yeah, we know – LIFE. What about the rest of it? Let’s get specific and understand the dollars and the envelopes they went into.
The problem with examining the town budget as a citizen is a bit of a computer logistical issue. For practical reasons, the budget is built across many spreadsheets that culminate into the consolidated budget document. Getting access to the consolidated budget is fairly straightfoward. I’m in the process of asking for the individual worksheets that helped create the consolidated document. Selectmen get access to them, as they should. I’m not certain if they’ll expect a formal request from me. We’ll see how that part unfolds.
For now, here’s your big increases in broad terms:
Civics & The Town Charter
CT Law Library
The rules we create for ourselves are steeped in law. Locally, we work very hard to stay within those bounds regardless of outcomes, because amazing leaders understand the obligation to this principle.
The Town of Southbury and its officials cannot use the term “Selectwoman” in any official capacity because it is not in the Charter to do so. In their official capacity, disregarding that appears to be a breach of legal authority. Bring the issue to referendum and get it changed in the Charter.
Let’s agree to stand for proper governance and the rules that limit what can be done and how it can be done by the people, for the people.
Change is not the issue. Work towards change by doing it properly and within legal boundaries and authority.