Town of Clinton Public Hearing and Special Meeting on 2026-2027 Budget – April 20, 2026

The Town of Clinton held a public hearing on the proposed 2026-2027 annual budget on April 20, 2026, followed by a special town council meeting to finalize the budget. The proposed budget included a town side of approximately $23.4 million and a school side of $44.8 million (total ~$68.2 million). After hearing public comments, the council adopted adjustments to offset revenue loss from Board of Assessment Appeals decisions and voted on the inclusion of a school resource officer (SRO). The final budgets will be put to referendum on May 13, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Terry O'Rourke (7 Harbor Parkway) expressed concern about a 22% property tax increase, criticized the revaluation method, and noted a shift of tax burden from commercial to residential properties.
• Lucy Crescenzi (93 Pratt Road) reported a 69% increase in her tax assessment after her husband’s passing, struggling to afford the new burden at age 78.
• Ona Natal (Salt Point Road) criticized school math proficiency: 49% at elementary, 46% at middle school, and 37% at high school, calling it a disgrace given $33,000 per pupil spending.
• David Brett (18 Ben Merrill) questioned the return on investment for the town manager position ($500,000 line item), requesting a public report on increased tax base and business attraction.
• Phil Single (unspecified address) supported adding a school resource officer (SRO) for Elliott Middle School based on a cost-benefit analysis, noting minimal impact on the town side budget.
• Joseph Kowalski (unspecified address) supported the SRO, citing safety and small cost relative to benefits; referenced the Newtown tragedy.
• Alison Vies (unspecified address) supported the SRO, sharing personal experiences of bullying and a past gang incident at Elliott, and noting that neighboring towns have multiple SROs per school.
• David Brett (13 Kelsey Town Bridge) praised the school system as “awesome.”
• Kathleen Scozen (unspecified address) opposed the SRO, calling for a social worker instead and noting Clinton already has a high police-to-citizen ratio (1:488 vs. state 1:3,874).
• Paul Gabauer (43 Longate Road) thanked the council for their work, noting his attendance at budget workshops.
• Brian Manware (11 Ark Road) supported both budgets, argued that prior 0% tax increases were unsustainable, and asked the council to restore the $500,000 cut, noting his household would save only $15.32.
• Alan Anderson (230 Airline Road) urged shifting the tax base back to commercial properties, noting loss of major employers like Bostic and Unilever.
• Steve Bristol (Long Hill Road) submitted a written list; stated he would vote against the budget if the SRO is included.
• Chief of Police (name not given) implored the council to restore the SRO position, clarifying the all-in cost is $155,000 (0.2% of budget), and noted his department has 27 officers and has delivered 2.6% annual budget increases for 10 years.
• Mary Joe Phelps (23 Delwood Avenue) thanked the council and asked for no additions to the budget, supporting it as presented.
• Valerie Nye (14 Stonewall Lane) supported the budgets, emphasizing that investment in education attracts families and lowers the mill rate over time.
• Patrick Shea (Country Village Lane) advocated for a school psychologist instead of an SRO, citing recurring costs and the need for prevention.
• Erica Gilvin (Alden Drive), Board of Education chair, thanked the council for collaboration and stated her board’s role is to request necessary funding.
• Melinda Campbell (12 Orchard Road) supported the SRO, saying she could not live with herself if something happened without it.
• Patty McKenzie (2 Joshua Lane) supported the SRO, recalling positive relationships from the DARE program and Morgan School SROs.
• Gail Gardy (13 Christopher Lane) supported a phase-in of property tax increases rather than a single large increase.
• Joe Flynn (17 Buell Court), a former law enforcement officer, supported the SRO, noting that SROs build relationships and prevent incidents; surrounding towns have them.

Discussion Items

• Board of Assessment Appeals Adjustment: Town Manager Bob reported a $11 million reduction in the grand list from appeals, requiring $249,721 to keep the mill rate unchanged. The finance director proposed revenue increases (town aid road grant +$89,721, miscellaneous revenue +$15,000, planning/zoning fees +$9,000) and expenditure cuts (health consultant -$50,000, medical contingency -$50,000, workers’ comp -$16,000, public works repairs -$10,000, police overtime -$10,000). The council unanimously adopted these adjustments, reducing the overall budget increase from 2.6% to 2.4% and maintaining a mill rate of 22.55.
• Fireworks Funding: A resolution to transfer $10,000 from the community events line ($23,000) to a fireworks line item passed to support a nonprofit fundraising organization.
• School Resource Officer (SRO): Council member Chris moved to restore $155,000 for an SRO at Elliott Middle School. Several council members spoke against, citing the revaluation year, no new headcount policy, cost creep, and the need to prioritize affordability. Council member Mike, a former SRO, spoke in favor but acknowledged fiscal constraints. The motion failed after a roll-call vote (majority opposed).

Key Outcomes

• The council approved adjustments that offset the Board of Assessment Appeals revenue loss, keeping the mill rate at 22.55 and reducing the budget increase to 2.4%.
• The motion to restore SRO funding did not carry; the position was not added to the budget.
• The council voted to recommend the town government budget of $23,237,935 and the Board of Education budget (amount not restated) for referendum on May 13, 2026.
• The public hearing and special meeting concluded after these votes.