HARTFORD, Conn. — Governor Ned Lamont recently released a town-by-town breakdown of an increase in state funding that every school district and municipality in Connecticut will receive from budget adjustment legislation for fiscal year 2027, a proposal that received bipartisan approval from the Connecticut General Assembly.
Monroe will receive $210,918 more for education and another $51,404 in supplemental aid for municipal expenses. Click here to download a table in Excel and see every what every town received.
“By closing funding gaps for our schools and municipalities, we can help communities avoid raising property taxes while keeping classrooms running and local services strong,” Lamont said in a news release. “Affordability is a top priority for this administration, and this investment delivers real relief where people feel it most. I am grateful to Senate President Looney, Speaker Ritter, and the overwhelming majority of Democrat and Republican legislators who voted to approve this budget and send it to my desk.”
The budget legislation, developed as a collaborative effort between the Lamont administration and legislative leaders, will soon be signed into law by the governor.
While Monroe town leaders and members of its state delegation said they were pleased with the extra funding, the long held belief that Monroe isn’t getting its fair share of state aid compared to many other communities was still felt.
“Anxiety around school budgets has hit almost every town — urban, suburban, or rural — in Connecticut as the ECS foundation levels have remained unchanged since 2013,” Superintendent Joseph Kobza said. “I have been advocating for more state aid to help ease the burden on local taxpayers. The supplemental education aid that just passed the legislature was welcome news on that front, and I hope it is just the start of a really close analysis at developing a formula that adjusts with inflation as time goes on. These efforts can ultimately go a long way in addressing the affordability concerns that residents in all towns and cities are facing.”
First Selectman Terry Rooney was not as optimistic over the supplemental funds.
“Hartford again falls short in education funding in Monroe,” he said. “Due to revaluation and ongoing unfunded mandates, all Connecticut communities are struggling to address tax impacts. This budget cycle had one clear message throughout surrounding communities and that was Hartford needs to step up and fund what they promised.”
Rooney said state programs impose mandates upon municipalities, forcing taxpayers to foot the bill.
“Our education funding is down $771,000 for fiscal year 2026/27 and $2,900,000 in the last five years, according to reports from education leaders, which is frankly unacceptable,” he added. “A mere $200,000 increase leaves Monroe once again getting the short straw.”
State Sen. Jason Perillo, R-21st, said, “this increased funding for local education is great news. I would have preferred a state budget that included these important increases, but that also included tax cuts. That’s the budget I wanted and that I supported. But you can’t always get everything and I’m thrilled that additional funding came through to Monroe and other towns in the state.”
Fellow Republican, State Rep. Tony Scott, R-Monroe, said, “I am happy that the majority party finally acknowledged that they are underfunding municipalities for education across the state and took one small step in the right direction. Sadly, the formula and dispersement of the $270 million ended up being just another bailout for the poorly managed cities, like Bridgeport, while towns like Monroe, Easton and Trumbull get pennies on the dollar and are still massively underfunded.”
“I will keep raising this issue and fighting for dollars to be more evenly distributed across the state, but that starts this November where we need the Legislature to not be so one-sided, so all voices can be acknowledged,” Scott said.
State Sen. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, D-22nd, praised the legislature’s commitment to education.
“This budget represents a real and meaningful investment in Connecticut’s students, and Monroe is no exception,” she said. “The town will receive $210,918 in additional ECS funding, along with funding through the annual SEED (Special Education Expansion Development) Grant, which was established as part of the funding for special education last year.”
“I was proud to serve as senate co-chair of the Special Education Committee at the time we made historic investments in special education,” Gadkar-Wilcox said. “The overall education funding translates directly into resources for classrooms, educators, and kids. I’m proud to have fought alongside my colleagues to ensure communities like Monroe are not left behind.”
But Rooney said state officials and municipal leaders he has spoken to from both major political parties share his belief that Hartford is putting too much pressure on municipalities to cover more of their education costs.
“The risk of reduced education budgets in municipalities across the state and those reductions creating impacts that virtually no municipal leader wants has at least made Hartford act,” he said. “Anything is a move in the right direction, however I can assure you this community, with whom I stand shoulder-to-shoulder on this issue, will be watching and advocating in public or in governmental meetings for Hartford to fully fund what has been agreed on since 2013.”
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