Mayor Joseph Ganim
Bridgeport, CT
For Immediate Release
April 2, 2018
For More Information:
Rowena White (203) 576-7201
Rowena.white@bridgeportct.gov
Press Release
Mayor Ganim To Present Proposed 2018-2019 Budget To City Council
Bridgeport, CT – This evening Mayor Ganim will meet with City Council members to present his proposed budget FY2018-2019. The FY2018-2019 budget is lean due to the reduction of $1.1m in departmental operating accounts and will be a well-managed plan which reduced total budget appropriations by $6 million from $567 million in FY2018, to $561 million in FY2019.
Mayor Ganim stated, “I am pleased to submit the proposed FY2018-2019 budget to the City Council. This proposed budget acknowledges a reduction of more than $17 million in FY18 State Aid that was adopted in our City Budget. It is a lean, sound, and balanced budget for our next year in City Government.
I am also proud to announce that the proposed budget again recommends holding the line on property tax. I am determined to continue to fight for our residents and not raise Bridgeport taxes. I look forward to working with City Council members to achieve a budget that benefits all of our citizens of Bridgeport.”
The proposed budget assumes a fair share of $4 million in State Supplemental Motor Vehicle reimbursements that our delegation is currently fighting to restore to the City of Bridgeport, plus an additional $5m in state assistance. In addition to these requests for state support, the City of Bridgeport is requesting the State fund $5.7m in relief which would be utilized to lower the mill rate in FY2019 for tax reduction.
Commitment to Education and Public Safety
- Next year’s plan also includes a state supported increase of $1.15 million for the BOE.
- The Bridgeport Fire Department has hired new recruits and now has a strengthened department of over 300 BFD employees.
- The Ganim administration has reached our goal and campaign promise by hiring 100 new police officers since I took office in December 2016. Bridgeport can now maintain 424 BPD Officers. This is the highest number of police officers Bridgeport has seen in more than a decade and brings the total manpower close to 500 in the police department.
These budget projections for the City of Bridgeport are predicated on the State of Connecticut Bipartisan adopted bi-annual budget.
Ganim concluded, “We are thankful for the support of our Bridgeport State Delegation to seek out revenue opportunities, establish relationships, and secure much needed state resources.”
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