Enfield Democrats Surge in Fundraising as GOP Treads Water

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  A recent protest in Enfield, part of the nationwide "Good Trouble Lives On," in honor this month of the late Congressman John Lewis. More than 1,600 rallies were held nationwide.  The local Democrats are off to a good start in fundraising for this year’s local election. In the second quarter of this year, the Enfield Democratic Town Committee raised $13,911 from April through June— outpacing Republicans nearly 9-to-1 , according to state campaign finance filings. The Enfield Republican Town Committee raised just $1,583 during the same period. Democrats began the quarter with a negative balance of –$1,294, but raised enough to erase their debts and finish with $7,092 in the bank. Republicans hold the cash advantage Despite the strong Democratic quarter, Republicans still hold a cash-on-hand advantage, thanks to a $12,911 reserve they carried into the quarter. They ended the period with $14,300 in the bank. But when it comes to momentum and new donor activity, Democrats clear...
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Enfield Town Council to vote on budget without tax increase


Enfield Town Hall, May 19, 2024

The Town Council is scheduled to adopt a budget tonight without a tax increase. The proposed mill rate will remain at 30.56, the same as this year. Despite this, the meeting is expected to be contentious. The Board of Education members will face off with the council in a final appeal, warning of layoffs, increased class sizes, and other problems if additional funding is not provided. The budget vote is expected to split along party lines, with Republicans supporting no change and Democrats seeking an increase. The budget proposal defers capital improvements, including repairs and new equipment purchases for schools, reducing spending by about $1.5 million. The largest offset are new police vehicles at $750,000.* However, this merely postpones costs into the future and is not something to take credit for. This budget will keep Enfield's per-pupil spending on the low end for the state. Enfield ranks low in Net Current Expenditure Per Pupil (NCEP) spending, being the 12th lowest out of 172 state school districts and the 3rd lowest in 24 selected Hartford County towns and cities, according to state data. The NCEP measures how much a school district spends on ongoing operational costs directly related to educating students, including teacher salaries, textbooks, and utilities, but excludes school construction, land purchases, debt payments, and adult education. Once the Town Council adopts the budget, the School Board will need to adapt their spending accordingly. They anticipate layoffs, larger class sizes, and some program reductions. There's little to celebrate here. While there may not be a tax increase, there will be a noticeable decline in services, particularly in schools. Looking ahead to 2026, the council will likely face similar pressures. Enfield's biggest challenge is the increasing tax burden on residential properties due to weaknesses in our commercial tax base. Any tax growth benefits from the Enfield Square redevelopment are still years away.

Proposed capital improvement spending

Proposed budget resolution

*The initial version of this post identified the EMS generator as the most expensive item. That was corrected above.

Location: Enfield, CT 06082, USA

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