Middlebury’s news - without the noise
Two things are happening at once this week and both land on your property tax bill. Region 15 is continuing towards a vote on a $224 million bond to replace two elementary schools, and the towns get their first formal say in five days. Meanwhile, state legislators are pushing to overhaul how Connecticut funds public education — a change that could meaningfully shift what towns like Middlebury have to raise locally. Budget season is fully underway.
Today
Region 15 $224 million spend is moving towards a vote
CT looking to put $150 million toward local school costs
Last Night’s Town Budget Meeting
(Update) Region 15 Moves Toward a $224 Million Vote on Two New Elementary Schools
A public hearing is now set for next Monday and a voter referendum could follow just seven weeks later.
We first talked about it last week, but a legal notice published Sunday announced a public hearing on Monday, March 23th at 6:30 p.m. at the Pomperaug High School media center. The Board of Education is recommending the district borrow up to $224 million to design, build, furnish, and equip two new elementary schools to replace Pomperaug Elementary School and Gainfield Elementary School (both in Southbury).
The board voted in January to build both schools on their current sites, a decision reached after more than a year of feasibility work and several community discussions. A combined school or off-site locations were considered and set aside but no suitable parcel large enough was available.
The $224 million covers the full project cost. State grants are estimated to cover about 64% of eligible (key word) construction costs, which would leave the district's share (paid by Middlebury and Southbury taxpayers combined) in the range of $80 million. That number could change depending on final grant amounts. Any grants the district receives will. reduce what it needs to borrow.
The plan includes new pre-K programs and dedicated special education space at each school. Including those features increases the district's grant eligibility. Each new school would house 504 students, a number that accounts for relocating roughly 100 students currently at Long Meadow Elementary School.
The district is targeting May 6th as the referendum date. A state grant application must be filed by June 2026. That deadline is driving the pace…we’ll keep you informed.
CT State Democrats Want to Put $150 Million Toward Local School Costs…and Property Tax Bills
A proposal announced Monday would use Governor Lamont's energy rebate fund to give municipalities relief on rising education expenses.
Connecticut House Democrats announced Monday they want to direct $120 to $150 million from Governor Lamont's proposed $500 million energy tax rebate fund toward a grant program that would help municipalities cover rising school costs without raising property taxes.
House Speaker Matt Ritter outlined the proposal which would be structured as a ‘property-tax stabilization grant’ for cities and towns. It runs alongside Senate Bill 7, which would raise the foundation of the state's Education Cost Sharing formula. This is the per-student baseline used to calculate state aid, and it is slotted to go from its current $11,525 to $15,500 by 2030. That figure hasn’t changed since 2013. After 2030, Senate Bill 7 would tie future adjustments to economic conditions automatically.
For us in Middlebury, where property taxes fund a substantial share of Region 15's operating budget, more state education aid means less pressure to raise the mill rate locally. Superintendent Joshua Smith recently presented a proposed 2026-2027 operating budget for Region 15 of just under $99 million. Education costs are consistently among the biggest drivers of Middlebury's tax bills. This could be a plus.
House and Senate Republicans said they agree the property tax burden is a problem but raised caution: increased ECS funding can trigger the state's Minimum Budget Requirement, which could force towns to spend more on education locally regardless of how much state aid increases. Both bills are before the Education Committee. No vote is scheduled yet.
Middlebury's Town Budget Is at 3.29%, and Last Night’s Meeting Could Change That
Last night at 7 p.m.the Middlebury Board of Finance and Board of Selectmen held a joint meeting at Town Hall. This was one of the last formal sessions before the 2026-2027 town budget goes to a public hearing in April and a voter referendum on May 6th.
Going into that meeting, First Selectwoman Jennifer Mahr and CFO Seth Bernstein have spent weeks trimming what started as a 12.29% budget increase down to 3.29%, making a total increase of $443,215, bringing the proposed town total budget to roughly $13.9 million. Five items account for most of the unavoidable cost: medical insurance up $365,000, contractual obligations at $155,038, a fire truck lease at $152,167, FICA tax increases of $54,476, and a $50,000 position to process Homestead Exemption paperwork. Mahr has said the town is weighing whether to delay that exemption another year. The position costs money to collect less tax revenue, which she acknowledged is a hard sell.
Items already cut include a half-time HR position, the Homestead Exemption employee, a poet laureate stipend, and the Code Red emergency notification service, though that last one turned out to be under contract and can't actually be removed yet.
We'll have a full report on last night’s outcome in Sunday’s issue. Get your popcorn.
Upcoming Events
Thursday, March 19 — Tax Relief Committee Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Town Hall.
Monday, March 23 — Region 15 $224 million bond public hearing, 6:30 p.m., PHS Media Center, 234 Judd Road, Southbury. Open to all Middlebury and Southbury residents. Written comments may also be submitted to the school district.
Spring is almost here…have a great day,
-Middlebury Morning
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