Editor’s note: The following Op-Ed was prepared by the Board of Finance.
Welcome to budget season! Here’s a quick update on key developments for this year’s town budget and tax process.
Preliminary BOE & BOS Budgets
The town’s annual budget process is off to the races with the release of the superintendent’s proposed Board of Education (“BOE”) FY26 budget. Both the budget presentation and detailed budget document are available online.
In summary, Superintendent Dr. Kevin Smith has proposed a ~$97.0 million school budget for FY26, representing a $3.7 million (4.0%) increase over the FY25 budget. This level of budget increase matches the Board of Finance (“BOF”) recommendation to the penny. The proposed budget includes an average union wage increase of ~4%, a net increase of 6.2 employees, consistent class sizes with the current school year, and a forecasted increase of 13 students.
First Selectman Toni Boucher is expected to release the preliminary Board of Selectmen (“BOS”) budget on Friday, Jan. 31.
BOF Budget Survey
As in previous years, the Board will send out a survey to poll residents for their perspectives on the proposed budgets and prospective mill rate increase. The survey is still in draft form, and we encourage residents to write to us and provide any comments. You can find a draft of the survey on the Town’s website. The BOF will discuss the final survey draft during its Tuesday, Feb. 18 meeting and plans to launch the survey in early March.
Each BOF member evaluates the budget based on various factors. While the survey is one way to understand resident perspectives, we also consider feedback from public hearings, emails, and direct conversations with residents. Last year, 1,129 residents responded to the survey, 50 sent emails, 10 spoke at the BOE budget public hearing, four spoke at the BOS budget public hearing, and none spoke about the budget during public comment at our regularly scheduled meetings.
Community Outreach
Direct conversations with residents are vital for understanding people’s views. As BOF Chair, I am meeting with local organizations like the PTA, Rotary Club and Kiwanis Club to gather residents’ perspectives on the budget and potential tax changes. These meetings offer a platform for different groups to pose questions directly and ensure their voices are heard. If it would be beneficial for me to address your group, please reach out to me directly via email.
Additionally, the BOF has scheduled the following Public Hearings:
- Wednesday, March 19 at 7 p.m.: Public Hearing on BOS Budget at Middlebrook Auditorium
- Wednesday, March 26 at 7 p.m.: Public Hearing on BOE Budget at Middlebrook Auditorium
You can find the full budget calendar online. We encourage all interested residents to attend and to speak during public comment at any and all of our meetings. Residents may also email us to share their perspectives.
Closing Thoughts
We’re grateful for the feedback we’ve received so far and encourage all residents to continue reaching out to us. If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to email the Board of Finance.
Thank you for staying engaged in Wilton’s budget process.
Matt Raimondi
Chair, Wilton Board of Finance
email
Correction: Due to an editing error, this article incorrectly listed the wrong days for the public hearings. They are on Wednesday, not Tuesday.