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April 16, 2019

Bronin recommends no tax hikes in budget

HBJ Photo | Matt Pilon Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.
By Joe Cooper

Mayor Luke Bronin has proposed a fiscal year 2020 budget that would not raise taxes or rely on borrowed money due in part to the state’s long-term debt assistance and flat education spending.

Bronin, in his fourth budget proposal, on Monday afternoon recommended a $573.2 million budget for the coming fiscal year, which would increase spending by $3.2 million, or 0.6 percent, if adopted by the city council. Factoring debt and capital investments, the spending plan rises to $561.8 million, representing a $4.4 million, or 0.8 percent, uptick.

According to a budget narrative, the plan does not use any one-time revenues, asset sales, or deferments of obligations. It will also be the Capital City’s second budget reviewed by the Municipal Accountability Review Board, which was created to oversee the state’s agreement to pay off approximately $550 million in Hartford's general obligation debt over the next two or three decades.

The proposal aims to keep Hartford Public Schools spending flat at $284 million. That package would be supported by an additional $3.2 million proposed under Gov. Ned Lamont’s biennium budget, which would be partly used on “non-education” operating expenses, including addressing chronic absenteeism.

Education spending makes up more than half of the city’s total budget.

The budget would also fund an additional 17 full-time city workers for a total of 1,361. However, excluding public-safety personnel, Hartford would have 11 percent fewer, or 54 positions, compared to fiscal year 2015.

Bronin said the “modest” capital improvement plan of about $32.5 million is meant to address basic infrastructure needs through fiscal year 2024. Significant projects for road repairs and school renovations will be paid by grants and from the general fund, he said.

The city anticipates saving $12 million in 2019-2020 after inking agreements with all municipal labor unions in recent years, incuding the Hartford Firefighters Association, the Hartford Police Union, the City of Hartford Professional Employees Association and others.

Despite the city’s recently improved financial status, Bronin, who is vying for a second term as mayor, said the city’s “fiscal position is still fragile… .”

“In the long term, our goal must be to reduce property taxes, rebuild the fund balance, and fully restore efficient access to the capital market,” the mayor wrote in a letter to residents Monday. “To do that, we must be disciplined, and we need to stick to our long-term financial plan.”

The city council must vote on the budget by Friday, May 31.

Read more

In state of the city address, Bronin touts a balanced budget, new investments

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