The Hidden Cost of Low Tax Increases: Enfield’s Shrinking Fund Balance

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Whoever wins Tuesday’s election may soon wish they hadn’t. The new Town Council will inherit a budget crisis shaped by two converging forces: a new property revaluation and a dangerously depleted fund balance — the town’s financial cushion for emergencies and unexpected costs. How Did We Get Here?  Over the past two years, the Republican-controlled council has drawn at least $13.6 million from the fund balance to keep tax increases low.  What Is the Fund Balance? The unassigned fund balance consists of unspent money from department budgets and revenues that exceed expectations. In municipal budgeting, it serves as a safety net — covering unexpected emergencies such as sewer failures, and lawsuits. It can also be used strategically to soften tax increases, especially in revaluation years. The key word is strategically. Using reserves occasionally makes sense. Draining them year after year — especially before a revaluation — does not. What Happened Over the Past Two Years At the...
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Is Enfield considering privatizing trash removal? Let's discuss.

 

Recent discussions in the Enfield CT Open Forum have sparked concerns about a potential plan to privatize the town's trash removal services. This originated from a union post suggesting this idea might be under consideration. While details remain incomplete, the implications could be significant for our community, and we need clarity before any decisions are made.

Current service excellence

Enfield’s municipal trash pickup has long been a model of reliability and quality. Our town’s workers know the community, understand our unique needs, and deliver consistent, dependable service week after week. These relationships and local knowledge are assets that cannot be easily replaced.

Questions that need answers

Financial impact and analysis

  • Has the town conducted a thorough cost-benefit analysis of privatization?

  • Are there multi-year projections to show the expected return on investment?

  • How would privatization affect long-term cost stability for residents?

  • What will happen to the town’s current investment in trash removal equipment?

  • Have officials consulted other towns’ experiences—both successes and challenges—with privatizing similar services?

Workforce considerations

  • What is the plan for our current union employees?

  • How does this proposal align with Enfield’s broader workforce goals?

Oversight and control

  • How will the town ensure quality control if trash removal is privatized?

  • What mechanisms will be in place to hold private contractors accountable for performance issues?

  • Will the town retain enough oversight to protect residents’ interests?

The bigger picture

Budget concerns are always valid, but is privatization the right solution? Enfield’s primary financial hurdle is economic development, not service delivery costs. Privatizing trash removal might save some money in the short term, but it could cost us in other ways—like losing local control and the expertise of experienced municipal workers. Contracted services often lack the flexibility and accountability we currently enjoy.

Transparency is critical

This decision affects every resident of Enfield and demands full transparency. Our community is filled with professionals who have firsthand experience with outsourcing—both its benefits and its pitfalls. The town should publish any analysis or proposals under consideration to allow for a well-informed public discussion. If necessary, residents may need to use FOIA requests to bring this information to light.

Let’s make informed choices

Before we consider privatization, we must demand a clear, data-driven case that addresses all potential impacts—financial, operational, and community-based. Privatizing services is a significant change, and we owe it to ourselves and future generations to make this decision carefully, based on complete information.


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