Letter to the Editor

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

We are writing to express concern on behalf of many local residents and business patrons regarding the recent closure of the drive-thru at the Wells Fargo Bank branch here in New Canaan. For years, the drive-thru has provided essential convenience and accessibility for our community—particularly for seniors, individuals with mobility challenges, parents with young children, and those with tight schedules. It has been a trusted and efficient option that allowed us to conduct banking safely and quickly, especially during inclement weather or high-traffic times in town.

Letter to the Editor

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

On behalf of the Irwin Park Committee of the New Canaan Garden Club, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude for the outstanding work that Bob Horan, New Canaan Tree Warden, and Tiger Mann, Director of Public Works, have recently completed at Irwin Park. We are absolutely delighted with the transformation and deeply appreciate the care and expertise they brought to the project. The changes are already breathtaking, particularly in the meadow area.

Letter to the Editor

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

Will the Town Council cut the school budget? On April 3rd, the Town Council will approve a final budget for New Canaan Public Schools for 2025-2026. Inquiring minds wonder whether it will be enough to maintain the staff and services that drive our schools’ number one ranking statewide (30th nationally), or whether the budget agreed to (in open session) by the Board of Finance and the BOE is on the TC chopping block.  

If there are to be cuts, will there be time for the public and the BOE to assess and share the consequences before the final Town Council vote?

Op-Ed: Town of New Canaan FY 2026 Budget Update

[Note: Todd Lavieri is chair of the Board of Finance.]
Last week, the New Canaan Board of Finance passed the FY 2025-2026 budget. This budget now goes to the Town Council for their review, and approval. When the Board of Finance received the budget from the Selectman’s office in January, we set three goals to accomplish with our review: one, to reduce the amount paid in taxation by $3 million; two, to reduce the total amount of capital expense by at least $3 million; and three, to reduce the amount of taxpayer supported capital expense by $1 million. Working collaboratively with each department, we accomplished all three goals. We reduced the amount raised by taxation by $4.1 million, we cut the capital expense by $4.8 million, and we reduced the taxpayer supported capital (not bonded), by $1.2 million.