Enfield Public Schools staffing levels fluctuated significantly over the past decade, peaking at 1,030 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions in 2023-24 before dropping to 823 FTE in the current school year, according to data presented at the April 28 2025 public hearing on the town budget. The increases in the 2021 through 2024 were related to COVID funding; the decrease followed a major cut last year to the board's budget. The school department is seeking a staff increase to 857 next year. Many of these staff increases are designed to lower class sizes. (School board slide)
Enfield’s next budget will decide more than tax rates. It will tell us how much the town is willing to invest in its schools and maintain public services. It's impossible to minimize the budget problem facing the Town Council. It's being squeezed by flat revenues and rising costs. This budget is almost certain to deliver a tax hike to residents unless the council does some reckless things.
The town faces nearly $8 million in new spending, or in other words, it has an $8 million gap to close. Cutting one mill from the budget equals roughly $3.3 million in reductions or new revenues.
The Town Manager’s proposed budget will raise the residential mill rate from 30.56 to 32.93 — an increase of 2.37 mills, or 7.76% on your tax bill, exclusive of the fire district. Not pleasant news. Residents have been hit with some big increases lately -- a consequence of rising residential assessments and sluggish commercial growth. We're far from the only state town facing this problem.
The council's options are limited. The proposed budget is
already using $3.8 million of the fund balance or reserves to constrain that proposed tax increase. This makes it almost impossible to avoid a tax increases unless council trades prudence for expediency. The council is not without options for reducing the town manager's proposal, but it can't avoid a tax increase unless it wants to deliver some real damage to the town's reputation.
The council, if it takes a reckless course, can take too much from the fund balance and leave the next council (the election is in November), which will face a revaluation, with limited options. It can ignore the impact of last year's cuts on the quality of our public schools and class sizes. It can defer maintenance and just pass along the costs.
There's no room for blame shifting. The Council Republican majority fully owns this budget. They wanted a highly detailed budget from the school board and they got it.
The Town Council is expected to take up the Board of Education on Tuesday. It's budget workshops are starting at 6 p.m. and are on YouTube.
With limited options, the Town Council will likely focus on three key areas:
1. Using More of the Fund Balance
The proposed budget draws $3.8 million from the town’s $28 million fund balance — a reserve typically used for emergencies and one-time needs. (See slide below) The Council could increase that amount to as much as $5 million or more. However, doing so would reduce future flexibility.
2. Cutting Capital Improvement Projects
The budget includes $2.7 million for capital improvements — vehicles, facilities, and roads. While some deferrals may be possible, postponing maintenance often leads to higher long-term costs or even critical infrastructure failures. These are not painless delays.
3. Trimming the Board of Education Budget
The school board is requesting a $4.31 million increase. Part of this increase aims to restore damage from last year’s cuts, when staffing dropped from 890 to 823 full-time equivalents and elementary class sizes grew to 25–30 students (See slide above). Further cuts could mean even larger classes, fewer programs, and long-term academic consequences.
School officials made a detailed and compelling case for their budget at this week's public hearing. For instance, Enfield High School's 9th-grade algebra classes are overcrowded. “We're far too large, 25 or above in a class,” said Superintendent Steve Moccio during this week’s FY 2026 budget presentation. (See slide below).
Fixed and State Mandated Costs
Residents see it every day — prices keep rising. Inflation was 2.9% in 2024 and 2.4% as of March 2025. At the same time, contractual obligations, health insurance premiums, and special education mandates continue to climb. Global economic pressures, including tariffs, are likely to increase costs for supplies and equipment.
No Question, It's Expensive
Let’s face it: it’s expensive to live in Connecticut. Towns that offer comprehensive services and have strong public schools have long been part of our identity. At the same time, resident frustration with tax bills is legitimate. The last property revaluation shifted more of the tax burden onto homeowners, as residential property values rose faster than those of commercial properties. But Enfield's tax burden is moderate,
according to this analysis.
This is a Revenue Problem
The recent revaluation has already shifted more of the tax burden onto homeowners. And another revaluation is coming next year. Meanwhile, potential sources of new revenue, such as the redevelopment of Enfield Square or the proposed train station, are still years away from producing meaningful tax income.
Protecting Enfield’s Reputation
Enfield has long been an affordable, middle-class community with strong schools and reliable public services. With a median household income near $90,000 and 77% of homes owner-occupied, we’re a town built on stability and quality of life.
Many residents now pay $4,000 to $7,000 in annual property taxes, excluding motor vehicles. That’s a significant portion of any household budget. But the structure of local finances makes it extremely difficult to avoid tax increases without substantial commercial growth in the grand list.
Enfield's reputation depends on more than just low taxes. If we sacrifice education, defer essential repairs, or cut services to avoid a modest increase, we can become a cheaper place to live — but not a better one.
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Slide from Town Manager's budget proposal
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