Op-Ed: Budget Surplus Used to Reduce Taxes

[Todd Lavieri is chair of the New Canaan Board of Finance.]
The Town of New Canaan Board of Finance completed the budget process earlier this month for Fiscal Year 2026 that begins next week on July 1st. For Fiscal Year 2025 that ends on June 30th, we have some good news. Our budget surplus is forecasted to come in at $8.0 million –more than 50% higher than expected. The town is expected to spend approximately $800,000 less than budgeted while revenues came in $7.2 million higher. We were expecting a $4-5 million surplus when we budgeted a year ago.

Letter to the Editor

NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letter to the editor. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com to have them published here. ***

Dear Editor,

On Saturday, June 14, The Glass House hosted the 2025 Summer Party—a celebration of architecture, landscape, art, preservation, and community. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and provides critical support for the care of our 49-acre historic site, as well as our educational and interpretive programs. As has been the trend on recent Saturdays, rain made an appearance. We are incredibly grateful to the hundreds of friends and guests who brought high spirits and celebrated under the tents with fantastic food and cocktails, striking art and design installations, and unforgettable music and dance.

Letters to the Editor

NewCananite.com recently received the following letters to the editor. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com to have them published here. ***
Dear Lou Kozar and Staff,

I just want to give a shout out to you as I can’t thank you enough for fixing my bike! It feels amazingly smooth and brand new. Thank you for your hard work and integrity.

Op-Ed: NCHS Senior Intern on the ‘Unique Opportunity’ of LiveGirl

In 2025, women made up 57% of college graduates. Yet, despite representing half of the population and possessing the education to pursue leadership roles, women make up only 28% of Congress and just 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs. These were the statistics shared with me during my first conversation with LiveGirl Founder Sheri West. To fully understand the mission of LiveGirl, it’s important to first recognize the need to support women and girls especially at this moment in history. I had the opportunity to intern at LiveGirl through the New Canaan High School Senior Internship Program.

Letters to the Editor

NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letters. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com to have them published here. ***

To the Editor, 

As a longtime resident of New Canaan, I would urge Governor Lamont to sign HB 5002, An Act Concerning Housing and the Needs of Homeless Persons. 

HB5002 would be an important step in addressing the massive shortage of housing that our state has. Across the state, housing affordability is at all time lows, and in our area, places like Stamford or Norwalk or Trumbull, which used to be affordable areas where many of our teachers commuted from, are becoming expensive themselves. HB5002 encourages towns to adopt zoning plans that allow duplexes, triplexes, cottage courts, etc.