Council Democrats Defend Budget Vetoed by Stewart; Council Budget Added School Operating, Library, Homelessness Prevention Funding

New Britain City Council Democrats say that, in spite of a veto by Mayor Erin Stewart (R), they are defending the budget they approved last month that would have added $1.1 million to the city schools’ operating budget, which had been again flat-funded in the budget proposed by Stewart, and added $175,000 for New Britain Public Library and $20,000 for homelessness prevention

The Council budget was approved on a party-line vote on May 28th, but was vetoed this past Saturday.

Council Democrats issued a written statement today, saying that, “Our constituents want to see strong schools, access to literacy, and support for vulnerable residents. We delivered a budget that meets those needs without raising taxes.” The statement added,

The amendment supported a mill rate reduction of .41 after two years of major tax increases. It provided a $1.1 million increase to the schools’ operating fund instead of withholding funding until the end of the year, providing more stability for the education budget. From reallocations and without new spending the public library receives $175,443 addressing its rapid growth and services for students, seniors and families. A $20,000 allocation funds unhoused prevention services that can help keep vulnerable residents in their homes.

While Council rules call on vetoes to be on the agenda of the next Council meeting, with Stewart’s veto on a weekend day after the publication of the Council agenda, the contents of her veto message do not appear to be in these publicly posted documents as of the publication of this article. The New Britain Progressive newspaper has a longstanding request to Stewart to receive copies of all press statements.

Stewart’s veto message, separately obtained, lavishes attacks on Council Democrats, calling them “irresponsible” and saying, “there is a fundamental misunderstanding of our city’s budget process”, called the Democrats’ budget, “legally questionable, fiscally unsound, and operationally irresponsible” and referred to Council budget priorities as, “pet projects” and “political games.”

But the Council Democrats’ statement responded to the veto message, saying, “It is unfortunate that the mayor’s veto included personal attacks and unfounded accusations that are inappropriate in doing the city’s business. The Council amendment addressing community needs passed after weeks of review and discussion. The Democratic caucus is ready for collaboration and good faith negotiation on issues that matter to residents.”

“Contrary to the veto message,” the Council Democrats’ statement said, “the amendment did not touch the city’s rainy day fund (unassigned fund balance) of $25.1 million. The Democratic caucus, in fact supported adding to the rainy day fund and creating a tax stabilization fund in the current term.”

With Stewart’s veto, a charter provision on final approval of the city budget comes into play. That provision says that a mayoral veto can cause the mayor’s budget to take effect over the one approved by the Council, if the Council cannot override that veto by vote of at least 10 of its 15 members by the 60 day deadline that appears to have expired right after her veto.

The current Council has 8 Democrats and 7 Republicans, making the Republican Mayor’s vetoes largely immune from approvals by the Council’s Democratic majority.

In her budget, Stewart had proposed no increase in operating funds for New Britain’s schools for the upcoming budget year that begins in July, making her total city operating allocations for city schools over her twelve years as mayor just 3.48% higher in total – an average increase per year of only 0.29%. With inflation taken into account, the $128 million Stewart’s proposed for the next fiscal year was about $29.8 million less operating budget than the city allocated to New Britain’s schools in fiscal year 2014.

Stewart has often been criticized for a pattern of low city funding to New Britain’s schools. The low city education funding been tied to low test scores in the city’s schools.

As in the past, Stewart’s budget plan included funding in a nebulous “non-operating” budget line under “Education Department”, this year, $2,646,191 in this line, which is $1.1 million more than this year, but $2.2 million less than the 2024 budget year.

An amendment proposed by Council Democrats moved $1.1 million of that “non-operating” line to the school system operating budget. The amendment also moved money from two vacant city staff positions to the increase in the Library budget and funding for homelessness prevention.

“The amendment to the Mayor’s budget included responsible reallocations from unfilled administrative positions and discretionary lines,” the Council Democrats’ statement says, “No jobs were cut that would impact essential services. No union contracts were violated”

Editor’s note (6/11/2025): The article was updated to note content from the mayor’s veto message.