FAIRFIELD CIVIC ROUNDUP
Board of Finance heads into final deliberations before March 31 vote on $403M FY2027 budget
2026-03-26
Fairfield’s FY2027 budget process is entering its final decision phase as the Board of Finance prepares for deliberations on March 30, 2026, followed by a scheduled vote on March 31, 2026.
The Board of Finance has conducted a series of public hearings throughout March, including sessions held on March 5, 10, 12, 16, 19, 24, and 26, according to the town’s posted schedule. A public comment session is scheduled for March 28, after which the board will finalize its recommendation.
The proposal under review was advanced earlier in March by the Board of Selectpersons and totals approximately $403 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Local reporting described the proposal as a 4.97% increase in total spending and a 4.28% increase in the gross tax levy.
The Selectpersons’ proposal also included a $1.5 million reduction to the increase requested by the Board of Education, placing school funding at the center of the Board of Finance’s review.
The consequence of the current stage is that the Board of Finance now has a defined set of decisions before its vote. The board has authority to modify the proposal, including restoring or further adjusting education funding or revising municipal spending levels before issuing its recommendation.
Following the March 31 vote, the recommended budget will move to the Representative Town Meeting, which is scheduled to vote on the budget on May 4, 2026, with the mill rate set on May 7, 2026.
Sources: Town of Fairfield; local reporting.
Selectpersons’ 2–1 CMDA agreement advances planning for Black Rock station redevelopment site
Fairfield has taken a formal step toward potential redevelopment near the Fairfield-Black Rock Metro-North station following a 2–1 vote by the Board of Selectpersons in March 2026 to approve a memorandum of agreement with the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA).
The agreement authorizes CMDA to provide planning and technical assistance and to evaluate potential financing tools that could support redevelopment of the station-area site.
The action is limited to planning and does not approve a development project, authorize construction, or commit municipal funding. Any future proposal would be required to proceed through Fairfield’s local approval process, including review by the Town Plan and Zoning Commission and other boards.
The site has remained undeveloped following the failure of a previously proposed approximately 2 million square foot office project, leaving the property available for redevelopment planning.
Town officials have linked the initiative to Fairfield’s tax structure. Local reporting indicates that approximately 4.5% of the town’s land area is zoned for commercial use, limiting the contribution of commercial properties to municipal revenue.
The next step is CMDA’s analysis phase, after which any potential redevelopment proposal would return to Fairfield’s boards for review and public hearings.
Sources: State of Connecticut; Town of Fairfield; local reporting.
The Fairfield Civic Roundup is published weekly by the Fairfield Gazette.
