STAMFORD -- Stamford's Board of Representatives Fiscal Committee made two cuts to Mayor Caroline Simmons' proposed city budget, and is planning more cuts to the Board of Education on May 7.
The committee recently met to discuss the mayor's proposed $747.4 million budget. Co-Chair Eric Morson proposed removing $673,360 from the Office of Benefits and Insurance's more than $32 million budget.
"There was an estimate that the insurance premiums would rise 15%, they only rose 12, so this represents that difference," he said.
Co-Chair Andrew Zachary proposed removing $50,000 from the contracted services budget line in the city's park maintenance program after speaking with Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Murray. The program has a total budget request of $265,000.
"He had estimated a number that was carried over from previous budget and was not needed," Zachary said. "The estimate was too high, in his opinion, and we could get away with $50,000 reduction, and that is what I (proposed) here. And he was happy with that number."
Morson moved on to discuss the BOE's budget, following the Board of Finance's $12.1 million cut on April 14, and said more cuts are coming.
He said they'll adjust the city's allocation to the schools on May 7 after learning what Stamford's share is from the state's Education Cost Sharing formula, which is now $170 million statewide instead of the $150 million originally projected.
He added that Gov. Ned Lamont's 2026-27 budget proposal includes $100 million in municipal aid statewide.
"The estimate is $1.2 million for Stamford," Morson said. "The Board of Finance will include this in the revenue side and edit out in the mill rate."
Rep. Noah Lapine made a few suggestions on where the BOE can make additional cuts, including to nonessential material supplies and administrative overhead; eliminating up to two associate superintendent roles and one administrator support position; and reviewing rising supply costs for the English-learners program amid a decrease in students.
"I want to start by recognizing the Board of Ed's difficult task in preparing the budget, and I greatly respect the work that went into the superintendent's proposal," he said. "I do believe that it is fair and reasonable to identify somewhere between $9 and $12 million of savings to pursue, and those cuts can be made responsibly if done right."
He said two of his children graduated from Stamford schools, like him, and he has one still in the public school system.
"Like our leaders, I want our district to succeed at the highest levels possible, but I don't believe that's in conflict with our obligation to find responsible savings where possible," he said."Our budget can and should protect our students; should be transparent; be supported by data; we stand ready to support in any way we can the Board of Education's effort to refine these proposals and identify practical equitable solutions."
The budget also includes money for the library project.
Rep. Virgil de la Cruz said he supports funding the preliminary design for the East Side library in Courtland Park after previously proposing to cut it. The project also has a $3 million federal grant and this will show the city intends to move forward. However, de la Cruz stipulated that no funds be used until "legal issues" relating to the project are resolved.
"I am absolutely in favor of passing the $250,000 towards the library at this point, because this money, this federal earmark of $3 million, has been out there for two years already," Morson replied. "I don't want to do anything that would further potentially risk it being withdrawn from us."
The original proposal was $350,000, but the BOF voted to cut $100,000 from the design.
Morson said Friday morning that the "legal issues" are a deed restriction that stipulates that the property should be "forever used and maintained as a public park and playground and for no other purpose."
Deputy Majority Leader Maureen Pollack, who's been an advocate for the project, said Friday afternoon that there is no legal action being taken against the project and that the issue is more with residents who are concerned that it violates the deed restriction.
According to a memorandum from the mayor's office from April 2025, the city's law department has been in contact with the state Attorney General's office to ensure the project is in compliance with the deed restriction.
"There's been a large outcry from people on the East Side and the Cove that they're the only portion of our city that does not have access to a library branch," she said. "If you look on a map, you'll see all the different library branches, and they're, I think, our second largest densely-populated regions of the city, and they don't have access."