Windsor Town Council Special Meeting – April 29, 2026: Budget Deliberations and Broad Street Referendum
Windsor Town Council Special Meeting – April 29, 2026
The Windsor Town Council held a hybrid special meeting on April 29, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers and via Zoom. The meeting focused on setting a referendum date for the Broad Street Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Safety Project and conducting final deliberations and votes on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. After public comment and extensive discussion, the council approved a $159.4 million general fund expenditure budget and set both the Broad Street project referendum and the budget referendum for Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michelle Benelli (1152 Pekwanic Abbey, 19-year resident) expressed concern that property taxes have risen 30% in three years due to reevaluation and budget increases. She noted that the school budget increased 5% annually while national inflation was 2.6% and 2.9% in the last two years, calling the compounding increases unsustainable and urging the town to live within its means.
- A second speaker (166 Palisado Avenue) echoed the prior comments, appealing for compassion for residents on fixed incomes and struggling families. They asked the council to consider a more modest budget increase that keeps pace with inflation, noting that two of their children attend Windsor Public Schools.
- Chris Foote (23 Apple Tree Lane, 22-year resident) said he moved to Windsor partly for lower taxes but now struggles as taxes rise faster than his income. He acknowledged the town manager’s diligent efforts but hoped for consideration of a $2 million windfall (opening cash) to reduce the burden. He warned that a second referendum might be needed if voters are not satisfied.
Discussion Items
- Broad Street Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Safety Project Referendum: Councilor Pelkey moved to set the referendum for Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with the question: “Shall an appropriation of $2,910,000 for the Broad Street Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Safety Project, to be fully funded by a State of Connecticut Urban Act Grant and a federal DOT grant, be adopted?” The motion passed unanimously (8-0). Councilor Elliveld noted that combining the two referendums (Broad Street and budget) saves the town $20,000–$30,000. Dep. Mayor thanked the petitioners for exercising democratic rights; the town meeting had been held the previous evening.
- FY 2027 Budget Deliberations: The council proceeded through budget sections with motions and amendments. Key discussion items included:
- Board of Education Budget ($93,714,280): Councilor Naeem moved to accept; Councilor Durant moved to amend by reducing $1 million (to $92,714,280), citing new SEL and elementary language positions. The amendment failed 3-5-0. The main motion passed 5-3-0.
- General Services Budget: Initially proposed at $22,500,260. An amendment to reduce by $500,000 (cutting $46,580 from Great Pond, $11,920 from TIF, $25,000 from open space, $416,500 from capital projects) failed 3-5-0. A second amendment to increase by $100,000 for OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) contributions passed 7-1-0. The main motion as amended then passed 8-0-0. Later, due to mill rate adjustments, the general services budget was reconsidered and set at $22,559,710.
- Opening Cash (Miscellaneous Revenues): Originally proposed at $2 million. An amendment to reduce to $1.5 million failed 3-5-0. The main motion of $2 million passed 7-1-0 after debate about using reserves to lower the tax rate.
- Total General Fund Expenditures: Final amount set at $159,403,000 after the OPEB increase and mill rate adjustments. Passed 5-3-0.
- Revenues: Set at $159,403,000, matching expenditures. Passed 7-1-0.
- Current Levy: $134,904,560. Passed 5-3-0.
- Other budget sections (safety services, recreation, human services, etc.) and enterprise funds all passed unanimously.
- Price Guide (Appendix G) accepted unanimously.
- Mill Rate Projection: Town Manager Sousa stated the proposed mill rate is 29.75, a 4.57% increase over the prior year. The final mill rate will be set by the council after the budget referendum is approved by voters.
Key Outcomes
- Broad Street Referendum: Set for Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 6:00 AM–8:00 PM at all seven polling places (absentee ballots available from Town Clerk). The question is whether to appropriate $2,910,000 for the project, fully funded by grants.
- FY 2027 Budget Approved: Total general fund expenditures of $159,403,000, with revenues of $159,403,000. The budget includes:
- Board of Education: $93,714,280 (no reduction)
- General Services: $22,559,710 (includes $100,000 increase for OPEB)
- Use of $2 million from opening cash to lower the tax rate.
- Budget Referendum: Set for the same date – Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 6:00 AM–8:00 PM at all polling places.
- Projected Mill Rate: 29.75, a 4.57% increase from the prior year.
- Other Votes: All remaining budget sections, tax collection rate (98.8%), senior tax relief ($692,500), veterans tax relief ($80,975), volunteer firefighter exemptions ($118,500), and enterprise funds passed unanimously.
- Next Steps: The council will set the final mill rate after the May 12 referendum, with a special meeting possible on May 26 if needed to incorporate state budget decisions.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the special meeting of April 29th. Here in the Town Hall Chamber, and we are calling this meeting to order. All counselors are here, and tonight, Counselor Glauck Hoffman is excused. Please state your name and address when you are called on, you'll be prompted that you are now unmuted. And for those dialing in by phone once prompted, you will then press star six to unmute for clear communication. We ask that you do not place the call on speaker phone. I have no virtual attendees with their hand raised. Thank you, Mr. Colby. So we'll move to the town hall chamber. And again, we are in public comment for the fiscal year proposed budget 27, and you will have three minutes to speak. And at the sound of the chime, we do ask that you conclude your comments. And please state your name and address. Michelle Benelli, 1152 Pekwanic Abbey. I'm not going to be here that long. You don't need the flags. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. I've lived there for almost 19 years and have a family of six. With the reevaluation and everything else that's gone on in the town, our property taxes have gone up 30% in three years. That's a lot of money for a family of six to bear. And while I understand that inflation continues to roll and that budgets follow inflation, they go up as well. Going up and above the inflationary rate is putting an additional weight on the citizens of our town. Inflation the last two years was uh nationally 2.6% and 2.9%. Uh while it was a lot higher before that, uh, and I understand that drove a lot of the tax rate increases. Uh we saw the school budget go up five percent and five percent uh in those years, substantially higher than the inflation rate, and and now there's your uh four and a half million dollar increase in the school budget. Uh even if you take that at the prorated portion that would fall on the town and not be the portion paid for by our state government or federal government, uh that comes out to somewhere between 1200 and 1300 in additional cost per pupil enrolled in our public schools. Uh that that's a lot of money to increase. Uh and and while uh budget cuts and budget limitations uh are difficult, uh they don't have to be inhumane. I think that there are places to look for uh ways to save uh on our expenses uh to to economize. Um but those increases um as they've continued to roll are are not sustainable. They don't make our town affordable. Uh and this compounding increases uh you know it's not a one-year thing. That increases this year, it will increase again next year, and those those those numbers add together, they don't stop adding up. Um so sort of this the squeeze is on. Taxes are up from the state, taxes are up from the federal government. Uh, I would really love to see our town live within its means and and limit how much we increase our property taxes. Thank you. Thank you. I live at 166 Palisado Avenue in Windsor. I don't have a lot to add to the comments that were just stated here for you all. He has very uh clearly and concisely laid out for you the numbers and the figures, but I would just appeal to your sense of compassion for those who are struggling in this community. I think a lot of people have been pushed to the edge financially in the past several years, and I think Windsor is no exception to that. We have a wonderful community of people who are very supportive of one another. I see this all the time on our online forums, and I think that that's great, but we need to reinforce that sense of community and helping one another right here in this room by realizing that although we all would love to spend as much as possible supporting our students and teachers and educational system. If people's income isn't increasing at the same rate as you're increasing the taxes, there's simply nowhere for that money to come from other than the daily necessities of life. Things such as medicines, particularly for our senior citizens that are on fixed incomes, they simply do not have additional income from which to draw. And many families are in the same situation. So I would just ask you all to consider whether these increases are that dire that it's worth pushing people into a more desperate situation than really is necessary.
openpublica.com