Municipal Budget – New Britain Alderman John McNamara

Council Democrats Question Use of $470K For Pickle Ball Courts In Budget Transfer

NEW BRITAIN – Common Council Democrats are questioning the use of $470,000 to fund construction of pickle ball courts at A.W. Stanley Park in a budget transfer resolution to be considered at the September 24th regular meeting of the Common Council.

Common Council Democrats Update

The resolution proposes to transfer accrued revenues from the 2024-2025 fiscal year to the current budget to fund projects and purchases not covered in the current year budget totaling $5,858,459. Funding for pickle ball courts is one of nine proposed expenditures as well as the transfer of funds to “fix deficits” and align revenues and expenditures on the city’s ledger before an independent audit for the year ending June 30,2025 begins.

“We welcome the availability of unaudited fund balances from the last fiscal year to allocate funds for the Board of Education, tax stabilization and needed capital improvements,” Council President Francisco Santiago (D-5), Assistant Majority Leader Iris Sanchez (D-3) and Majority Leader John McNamara (D-4) said in a joint statement. “The city, however, should use these general fund dollars to meet more urgent priorities other than the addition of more pickle ball courts at this time.”

Earlier this year the city administration sought $150,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for the A.W. Stanley Pickle Ball Court Project in a request that also proposed use of $300,000 from the A.W. Stanley Trust Fund at an estimated cost of $450,000. The plan would construct four pickle ball courts and a tennis court at the park that currently provides swimming pools, little league fields, a playground, walking trails and a fishing pond. The Common Council, however, allocated funds to other capital improvement projects as part of the annual plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Democratic Council leaders said alternatives should be considered for using the $470,000 “that meet compelling needs in the community to prevent evictions, reduce food insecurity and improve streets and infrastructure in our neighborhoods.”

“Now we are facing federal funding cuts and harmful policies from Donald Trump and the Republican Congress. Grants for community health and immunization programs have been jeopardized, Nearly $1.5 million in federal education funds were held up creating uncertainty before the school year began. An estimated 7,000 New Britain residents will lose Medicaid benefits once the Republican “big, beautiful bill” that slashes the social safety net and cuts taxes for billionaires takes effect,” the Democratic caucus statement said.

“Spending with our limited resources should go to essential services and investments that directly improve the health and well-being of residents,” said Alderwoman Wilma Barbosa (D-2), who serves on the Council’s Administration, Finance, Law and Public Services Committee.

The Common Council meeting will be held at New Britain City Hall, 27 West Main Street on Wednesday, September 24th. Public participation begins at 7 p.m.

Municipal Budget Update

Mayor’s Mill Rate Increase Will Hike Taxes An Average Of $204 On Single Family Homes

Here is my take on the municipal budget that will take effect July 1.

The good news is that the Legislature appropriated $10 million more for tax relief or addressing unmet needs in the coming 2025 fiscal year. The bad news is a 1.31 mill rate increase and less local aid to education than 2024.

“The Mayor and Council will face more challenges next year at budget time and will not have the one-time funding provided by the Legislature’s stabilization plan for town aid and educational cost sharing funding. If past is prelude the city’s legislative delegation can be expected to push for and get increases for both education, PILOT and other forms of town aid when the General Assembly convenes next January to adopt a new biennial state budget. The situation points to the need for more fiscal discipline at City Hall than is the case now and making property tax relief a priority at the local and state level in 2025.”

John McNamara

Municipal Budget Hearing Is Tuesday, April 23

The Common Council will hold a Public Hearing on the Mayor’s Proposed General Fund Budget, Capital Improvement Program Budget and Special Revenue and Enterprise Funds Budget for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers, 27 West Main Street.

Having received the Mayor’s proposed $269.5 million budget and a proposal for a 39.59 mill rate Common Council Democrats are working to adopt a budget plan that makes smarter investments in the community’s needs and minimizes the tax burden on working families and seniors after last year’s double-digit increases in property taxes.

The public hearing is an important part of the process for citizens to share their concerns, ideas and priorities about how the city will maintain essential services within the limits of anticipated revenues for the year that starts on July 1.

“Individuals seeking to join the public hearing remotely may join by calling 1-339-209-6176. The public may attend the hearing in person or view a live broadcast online via the livestream link: https://www.newbritainct.gov/meetings

For additional information

Contact Council Majority Leader John McNamara. 860-416-0665

Email: john.mcnamara@newbritainct.gov

Links to Budget Hearing Information:

Agenda, Minutes, Live Stream & Video – City of New Britain (newbritainct.gov)

Link to Board of Education’s Requested Budget 2024-2025 School Year

https://www.csdnb.org/pdfviewer.php?pdf=../pdf/2023-2024/Finances/Board-of-Education-Requested-Budget-Narrative-2024-2025.pdf

Flooding, Batterson Park, Education Are Topics At Ward 4 Constituent Meeting

Twenty residents from the three voting districts in Ward 4 participated in the first constituent meeting of the term on February 10th organized by Alderman John McNamara.

The Saturday morning meeting held at Spottswood AME Zion Church on Crestwood Lane focused on neighborhood issues and a new municipal budget for the next fiscal year.

Planning for a new municipal budget begins this month at the Board of Finance and Taxation as city departments and the Board of Education submit their proposed plans for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The public is encouraged to weigh in on budget priorities at Common Council meetings and at a Common Council budget hearing to be held in April or May. A new budget will be adopted in June.

In door-to-door canvassing last fall Alderman McNamara said he heard residents’ concerns about flooding in the Roxbury Road area and other locations, education funding and the quality of schools, higher property tax bills and Batterson Park’s future.

Meeting Summary:

Batterson Park Project: A final state study (See link below) has been submitted to the General Assembly that lists options and costs for the operation of Batterson Park. Residents Seth Cerone and Tobias Gummersbach expressed reservations about the proposed plans which include a paved walking path around the pond. Favored by the study is a public-private partnership that involves Hartford-based RiverFront Recapture with the City of Hartford retaining ownership. However, the Batterson Drive residents pointed to a number of concerns: Hartford has a record of neglecting Batterson (described as “benign neglect” in the study); aeration systems need to be installed to clean out bacteria if the park is ever to be restored for swimming; there are concerns about safety and liability issues for New Britain if a path impacting 19 homes on the southern side of the park is opened. The concern is that New Britain will be responsible for emergency services and trash pick ups at the park, which will add unintended expenses for the city. Alderman McNamara believes Batterson should become a state park as envisioned by House Speaker Matt Ritter, but given the Governor’s constraints on the state budget a state park nor the public-private option likely will not happen in the immediate future. Update: On February 9th the Legislature’s Environment Committee raised a concept for the drafting of a bill for “the operation and management of Batterson Park” in response to the completed DEEP report. A legislative hearing will be scheduled to consider the proposal.

Flooding and Stormwater, Sewage Mains: Citizen complaints led the city to commit $6 million in late 2023 to repair long neglected and dilapidated sewer and stormwater mains in the Allen Street and Overlook-McKinley Avenue areas. Residents Frank Chase, who organized his neighborhood, and Andrew Pope shared the conditions including possible loss of insurance and thousands of dollars in personal expenses. The Allen Street problem led to six floodings on Allen, Hampton, Newbury Eton Place, Brighton Street and Roxbury Road from last July through December. Engineering work is supposed to be completed by fall to issue bids for improvements. At issue now is securing the necessary funding for the improvements. Gayle Sanders Connelly (Stanley Street), a former Board of Education President, also said there are issues with water from the trail construction in her neighborhood including basement flooding.

Education : The Board of Education’s (BOE) proposed budget basically covers contractual obligations and results in the elimination of about 80 teacher assistant positions but will require additional local support to avoid further cuts. One time post-pandemic funding allowed the school district to scale up supports for students but it is going away this year. Board of Education Member and Ward 4 resident Diana Reyes pointed out that New Britain is third from the bottom in terms of local aid per student and that advocacy will be needed at the state and local (Council Budget Hearing) to make support for schools more of a priority than in past years. The BOE’s proposed budget and plan can be found in the link below.

Other issues:

Alderman McNamara said tax breaks for developers and businesses are necessary to spur development but that the city has not received enough community benefits for the 26-year abatements for luxury downtown housing granted in recent years.
Gayle Sanders Connelly and others said targeted communication (reverse 911s, alerts) is needed in neighborhoods when there is police activity and emergency public works activity is occurring.

Attendees at the meeting included former Alderman David DeFronzo and Democratic Town Committee Chair and former Alderman Chris Anderson.

Rev. Dr. Jonathon D. Counts and trustees Sam Simmons, Brian Simmons and Kemry Israel of Spottswood AME Zion Church were thanked for opening their Fellowship Hall for the meeting.

Another constituent meeting for Ward 4 will be held in May at a time and place to be announced.

Links and References

Link to Common Council Schedule and Meetings

Batterson Park Study January 24 2024 (CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection)

Board of Education 2024-2025 budget plan (January 2024)

For more information:

John McNamara 860-416-0665 john.mcnamara@newbritainct.gov