Could Stafford set a budget but not a Mill Rate on referendum day?
- Apr 27
- 3 min read
Updated: May 4
If you’ve been following along with the budget conversations, you may have realized that the State is also in the middle of its budgeting process. This means the Town and school district are just making educated guesses when it comes to any State funding they hope to receive. The Budget referendum is scheduled for May 5, 2026. Connecticut’s General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on May 6, 2026.
The Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) budget is especially important. Last year, Stafford received $294,000 more in Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funding than it budgeted for, according to the Town’s Interim CFO, Lynn Nenni. This funding is a source of statewide contention as towns consider the formula used to calculate it woefully out of whack, and therefore often takes time to get settled. But what if, this year, the State budget is settled just a day after Stafford approves its budget?
Well, Board of FInance Chair Steve Geryk says the Town could approve the budget but hold off on setting the Mill Rate. “If we get additional money from the state, we know it’s coming in, or even if they haven’t made a decision and the budget were to pass, the budget stays the same but we would not set a mill rate until we know if we have the additional funds. And those additional funds could then be applied to lower the Mill rate,” said Geryk.
State Representative Kurt Vail indicated in a post that Stafford could get somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.4 million if the Republican School/Taxpayers Relief & Affordability Plan (STRAP) is passed.
It’s worth noting that the requested increase this year is only $1,505,542. If Stafford actually received the $1,419,474, which is not guaranteed and may not even be likely, the total increase over last year’s budget would only be $86,068.
Update April 28, 2026: After this article was originally published, Governor Ned Lamont released a statement saying: “I have heard directly from mayors, first selectmen, superintendents, students, and taxpayers across Connecticut who are feeling the squeeze of rising costs. This $270 million is a direct response to the strains being placed on town, school district, and family budgets. By closing funding gaps for our schools and municipalities, we can help communities avoid raising property taxes while keeping classrooms running and local services strong. Affordability is a top priority for this administration, and this investment delivers real relief where people feel it most. I am grateful to Senate President Looney and Speaker Ritter, especially, for their leadership and cooperation in getting this deal done.”
CTMirror reports, "The new state budget also will increase non-education assistance by $100 million, though this will be a one-time bump with no guarantee it will continue beyond the next budget cycle."
Stay tuned for more information on just how much may make it Stafford.
Update 5/3/26: The Stafford Public Schools received word that the State has increased its funding by $382,059. This money can be applied to reduce the amount to be raised through taxes. That will also mean the Mill Rate will come down accordingly (though I'll leave that calculation to the professionals). The Town received an additional $161,510 from the Mashantucket Pequot/Mohegan fund. This is an overall increase of revenue to Stafford in the amount of $543,570.
Update 5/4/26: The Town's newly calculated Mill Rate would be 26.0163.
