There is something uniquely American about the way a town governs itself. A local budget is not numbers on a page; it is a statement of priorities, a reflection of community values. It is an agreement—between those who lead and those who are led, between those who serve and those who benefit from that service. It is the practical work of democracy, and it happens here, in town halls and public meetings, among neighbors.
We saw this firsthand last week at The New Canaan Sentinel Coffee. The budget was the main topic of discussion—how it works, who is involved, when the decisions are made. This is why we decided to really focus on the budget in this week’s paper. Because knowing after the fact is not the same as being engaged while decisions are still being made.
The budget process in New Canaan is thorough, detailed, and shaped by people who understand that good governance requires time, effort, and discipline. Some who labor over it are volunteers, giving their nights to long meetings, their weekends to spreadsheets, their inboxes to questions and concerns. Others—our Board of Selectmen, our department heads, our Superintendent of Schools—do this work as their profession. They work hard to balance want with restraint, to ensure the town’s present stability and its future success.
But whether volunteer or professional, what unites them is an understanding that this work matters. That it is not about the next fiscal year, but the one after that, and the one after that.
The budget process is designed to be deliberative, to take months, to allow for input and analysis. It moves from the Board of Selectmen to the Board of Finance to the Town Council, each layer adding scrutiny, each step ensuring that the final product is as responsible as it can be.
And yet, a curious thing happens. The process is open—the meetings are posted, the documents are available, the hearings are scheduled. But often, public engagement comes too late.
A decision is made, a number is finalized, and only then does the outcry begin. People say they were blindsided, that they didn’t know, that they weren’t consulted. But they were. The meetings were held, the emails went out, the opportunities existed.
It is not enough to pay attention once the decision is made. A town governs itself best when its people engage early, when they speak up while there is still time to shape an outcome. A concern raised in February can be addressed thoughtfully. A complaint made in April, when the final vote is days away, can only become an argument, a grievance, a missed opportunity.
John Adams wrote that “liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.” A government of the people does require something of the people: their attention.
New Canaan is full of smart, capable, engaged residents; generous with their time, their expertise, their energy. We coach teams, we serve on nonprofit boards, we show up for each other. This is the beauty of our small town—it is personal. And yet, when it comes to the budget, too many wait until after the fact to ask questions, to voice concerns, to care.
The men and women shaping the budget—whether elected, appointed, or hired—are making decisions that affect your taxes, your schools, your roads, your safety. They are deciding what is funded and what is not. They are choosing, on your behalf, what New Canaan will prioritize in the coming year. And they are doing it in the open.
If you have thoughts, now is the time.
And if you are looking for a good place to start, come to The New Canaan Sentinel Coffee at 8:30am on Friday mornings at the Lapham Center.
