Dear Westies,
On May 1, 2025, the City Council passed the FY26 budget after weeks of careful deliberation. Over the course of four weeks, we met with each city department to understand their needs and discuss how best to allocate our tax dollars for the benefit of all West Haven residents. As we did for FY25, we took a deep dive into every department’s budget, analyzing each line item and engaging in thoughtful discussions during our caucus deliberations. After two days of collaboration, we passed a package of changes that we felt were both fiscally responsible and aligned with the best interests of our constituents.
Our role in the budget process is twofold: first, to ensure that the city is properly funded so residents receive the best services possible; second, to make sure those services remain affordable. The mayor and her staff worked diligently to craft a well-thought-out and responsible budget for the City Council’s review. Their continued efforts, even after submitting the mayor’s initial proposal, resulted in a recommendation package that improved the city’s bottom line by $1.7 million. We recognized that most city departments are operating lean, with little room for reductions without impacting essential services.
Through collaboration with the mayor, her team, and fellow council members, this budget:
– Expands funding for services benefiting our elderly and youth populations.
– Provides our Animal Control Department with the resources to hire a fifth Humane Officer.
– Invests additional funding and in-kind support into our library system.
– Establishes a new Operations Department, to be led by a Chief Operations Officer, to
streamline central services and improve efficiency.
– Lays the groundwork for future consolidation and savings.
– Supports our first responders by providing police, fire and ERS with the resources they
need for public safety.
– Works toward closing salary gaps and addressing disparities.
– Prioritizes the digitization and preservation of records in our Engineering Department.
-Improves infrastructure and upgrades technology.
During our deliberations, we also identified opportunities to expand the Health Department to better support our nurses. We intend to collaborate with the mayor and other City administrators on this effort.
In spite of the property revaluation – which saw property values increase on average by 56% – the Mayor and City Council were successful in maintaining a modest 2.2% operational increase, which is largely due to contractual increases and increases to other fixed costs. This budget is a strong step forward in making West Haven safer, more attractive, and a more desirable place to call home.
At the heart of it all, we are Westies. We care deeply about our community and are committed to making decisions that best serve the 10 square miles we all call home.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve you.
~City Council Democratic Caucus~
Chairman Nicholas Pascale (D-At Large)
Anne Heffernan (D1) | Ruby Melton (D2) | Sarah Ackbarali (D3) | Gary Donovan (D4)
Mackie McMillian (D5) | Dawn Callahan (D6) | Kathy Tucker (D7)
Christopher Vargo, Jr. (D8) | Katie Mueller (D9) | Brian Laucks (D-At Large)