By Anne White
The New Canaan Board of Finance conducted an in-depth review of the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget on Feb. 27, deliberating on school funding, municipal expenses, and capital project allocations. Officials identified areas for cost reductions and adjusted spending priorities while maintaining essential investments.
Budget Overview and Board of Education Adjustments
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi presented a comparative analysis of New Canaan’s budget requests against neighboring school districts, noting that the town’s proposed 4.67% increase aligns with the regional average of 4.65%. Luizzi detailed historical budget trends, demonstrating a consistent return of unused funds to the town, averaging $690,000 annually over the past decade.
Insurance costs remained a central topic, with Luizzi highlighting differences between New Canaan’s self-insured model and Darien’s fully insured plan. The Board of Finance emphasized the need for continued monitoring, with Luizzi agreeing to present a deeper analysis at a future meeting.
The Board requested an additional $550,000 reduction in operating expenses. Luizzi outlined a potential strategy through staff attrition and operational efficiencies, with final recommendations expected at next week’s meeting.
Capital Budget Adjustments
Board members scrutinized capital expenditures, ultimately reducing bonded capital by approximately $4 million. Key changes include:
Dunning Stadium Project: The $2 million request was reduced to $200,000, funding only the design phase, with construction deferred to the following fiscal year.
Irwin Park Guest House: The board opted to allocate $400,000 for environmental remediation and demolition, eliminating a $1.3 million restoration plan.
Waveny Park Elevator Project: Finalized engineering designs will allow elevator installation in early 2026, ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements.
Town Hall Repairs and Infrastructure Projects: The board bundled several town building repairs into a single bonded request, consolidating $486,000 in projects.
Further reductions included reallocations from prior-year capital balances and eliminating redundant requests. The board also postponed energy conservation initiatives, parking facility upgrades, and several minor infrastructure projects.
General Government and Revenue Adjustments
The town’s operating budget reflects a modest 1.6% increase, with salary adjustments and departmental reorganizations accounting for most changes. Notable shifts include:
First Selectman’s Office: The budget reflects the reassignment of a grant writer and HR generalist, reallocating salaries across departments.
IT Expenses: Service contract costs increased, including a $65,000 shift from capital to operating expenses for cybersecurity measures.
Registrar of Voters: The budget includes early voting mandates, which have driven election-related costs higher despite the absence of a presidential election in FY26.
Affordable Housing Committee Request: A late addition of $30,000 for a feasibility study on potential housing sites is pending board review.
Next Steps
The Board of Finance held a public hearing on March 4 (see story above), which will followed by a final budget vote tonight at 7pm, March 6. Chairman Todd Lavieri emphasized the importance of fiscal discipline, stating, “We’ve made significant progress in reducing taxpayer burden while ensuring that critical projects move forward.”
