FY2026-27 Approved Budget
This page summarizes the City of Ansonia's approved Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget. It is provided for informational purposes to explain how the budget is structured, what is changing from the current year, and the financial context behind it.
📄 Download Approved FY2026-27 Budget (PDF)
Budget at a Glance
Where Every Dollar Goes
Fiscal Context
Fuel Cell Update
Budget at a Glance
$69,146,155
Total approved FY2026-27 budget
+1.5%
Year-over-year budget increase ($68.1M → $69.1M)
~$0.70
Of every tax dollar funds Education & Public Safety
The year-over-year increase is driven almost entirely by debt service. The Board of Education appropriation is held flat at $38,612,089, and overall City expenditures are reduced slightly compared with FY2025-26.
Where Every Tax Dollar Goes (FY2026-27)
The table below shows how the approved $69,146,155 budget is allocated across major categories.
| Share of $1 |
Category |
Amount |
| $0.56 |
Education (Board of Education) |
$38,612,089 |
| $0.13 |
City Public Safety |
$8,616,353 |
| $0.09 |
City Employee Benefits |
$6,372,307 |
| $0.07 |
City Public Works |
$4,862,998 |
| $0.05 |
City Government Expenses |
$3,322,308 |
| $0.05 |
Debt Service |
$3,354,034 |
| $0.02 |
City Utilities |
$1,320,647 |
| $0.01 |
City Insurances |
$846,969 |
| $0.01 |
City Community Service |
$785,488 |
| $0.01 |
City Information Technology |
$485,500 |
| $0.003 |
Capital and Grants |
$214,800 |
| $0.001 |
Contingency |
$68,800 |
| $1.00 |
Total FY2026-27 Approved Budget |
$68,862,293 |
Nearly $0.70 of every tax dollar collected is directed to Education and Public Safety combined.
Year-over-Year Comparison by Segment
Comparing the current year (FY2025-26) approved budget with the approved FY2026-27 budget by major segment:
| Segment |
FY2025-26 |
FY2026-27 |
Variance |
| Board of Education |
$38,612,089 |
$38,612,089 |
$0 (flat) |
| City Expenditures |
$27,392,260 |
$27,250,204 |
−$142,056 |
| Debt Service |
$2,256,082 |
$3,354,034 |
+$1,097,952 |
| Total Budget |
$68,004,349 |
$68,862,293 |
+$857,944 |
The Board of Education appropriation is unchanged year-over-year. City operating expenditures are modestly reduced. The increase in debt service — rising by approximately $1.1 million — is the primary driver of overall budget growth.
What Changed Year-over-Year
The components that move the budget from FY2025-26 to FY2026-27 are below. Increases are partly offset by operating reductions.
| Change Component |
Approx. Amount |
| Debt Service Increase |
+$1,097,952 |
| Insurance Increases |
+$25,213 |
| Public Safety Adjustments (net) |
+$65,033 |
| Staffing & Position Reductions |
−$80,000 (approx.) |
| Public Works Curbside Pickup Efficiencies |
−$20,000 (approx.) |
| Elimination of Mayor's Car Payments |
−$19,596 |
| Capital and Grants Reduction |
−$266,697 |
Operating reductions include staffing reallocations, leaving some vacant positions unfilled, Public Works curbside pickup efficiencies, and elimination of Mayor's fleet replacement payments.
Fiscal Context: Recent Trends
The approved budget is set against several multi-year financial trends.
Revenues and Expenses (Actuals, $ Millions)
| Fiscal Year |
Revenue |
Expenses |
| FY2022-23 |
$92.3M |
$88.5M |
| FY2023-24 |
$93.6M |
$95.7M |
| FY2024-25 |
$86.0M |
$97.5M |
Over this period, revenues declined — driven in large part by decreased grant funding and a moderate reduction in charges for services — while expenses rose, with Board of Education and General Government costs increasing over the past three years.
Change in Net Position ($ Millions)
| Fiscal Year |
Change in Net Position |
| FY2022-23 |
+$3.7M |
| FY2023-24 |
−$2.1M |
| FY2024-25 |
−$11.4M |
The City's net position deteriorated significantly over this period, moving from a positive change in FY2022-23 to a decline of $11.4 million in FY2024-25.
How the Structural Imbalance Developed
Prior-year budgeting practices contributed to a structural imbalance entering FY2026-27, including:
- Use of one-time WPCA (Water Pollution Control Authority) asset sale proceeds to support annual operating expenses and lower mill rates on a non-recurring basis.
- $1.58 million in Fuel Cell PILOT payment revenue built into the FY2025-26 budget that was not realized because the fuel cell is not operational.
- Approximately $3.04 million in Fuel Cell debt service expense that was not included in the FY2025-26 budget, even though payments had begun.
- Use of fund balance as a recurring revenue source.
| Shortfall Item |
Amount |
| Use of Future Revenue (WPCA Sale Proceeds) |
$5,250,000 |
| Use of Fund Balance |
$48,017 |
| Fuel Cell PILOT Payment Revenue (Fuel Cell not operational) |
$1,577,874 |
| Unbudgeted Debt Service – Fuel Cell Project |
$3,039,813 |
| Total Structural Imbalance |
$9,915,704 |
State Aid Increases
State aid received above the Mayor's original budget request reduced the amount that would otherwise need to be raised locally. A one-time $3.25 million appropriation was provided to stabilize the City's finances.
| Grant Description |
Amount |
| Supplemental Education Aid (directly to Board of Education) |
$939,494 |
| Supplemental Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Grant |
$261,746 |
| Adult Education Grant |
$15,866 |
| One-Time Rescue Funding |
$3,250,000 |
| Total |
$4,467,106 |
The supplemental education grant fully funds the Board of Education's FY2026-27 budget request with no education layoffs required. The added state aid positions the City for more sustainable budgets going forward.
Mill Rate & Tax Levy
The approved FY2026-27 mill rate and property tax levy are shown below based on the final approved budget.
| Measure |
FY2025-26 |
FY2026-27 Approved |
| Real Estate & Personal Property Mill Rate |
28.55 |
29.46 |
| Motor Vehicle Mill Rate |
28.55 |
29.46 |
| Total Tax Levy |
$39,796,451 |
$41,794,880 |
| % Increase in Tax Levy |
— |
3.19% |
| Net Grand List (Taxable Basis) |
$1,422,426,644 |
$1,447,652,305 |
Fuel Cell Project Update
The City of Ansonia became involved in competing fuel cell proposals for the same parcel at 35 North Main Street, creating a regulatory conflict between two developers and a costly lease-purchase obligation that began requiring payments before any facility was operational. The situation contributed significantly to the structural imbalance described above. Legislative action in 2026 has created a path toward resolution.
📄 Fuel Cell Presentation to the Board of Aldermen 6-9-26
Full Fuel Cell Situation Breakdown
On May 6, 2026, an amendment to Senate Bill 477 was adopted to address the Ansonia fuel cell situation. This amendment creates a pathway to consolidate the competing project tracks, makes the State of Connecticut the energy customer for the project, and provides a path to resolve or restructure the City's JCI lease-purchase obligation.
- State legislative action on the Fuel Cell Project provides a path to resolution.
- The Fuel Cell Project is now positioned to move forward under a single statutory framework.
- The City intends to issue Temporary Notes to bridge the gap for FY2026-27.
- Additional information will be provided in future presentations to the Board of Alders.
Figures on this page are drawn from the City of Ansonia FY2026-27 Final Approved Budget. Some figures from prior-year trend data are drawn from City financial presentations. Residents are encouraged to consult the full approved budget document for complete detail.