Regarding the expense budget, I would like to see the Board of Finance engage earlier in the budget process with the Mayor, Superintendent and their staffs to arrive at a spending plan more by cooperation and less by question and correction.

If I have a priority with respect to the rebuild/renovation of our schools, it is to conserve as much Federal aid--whether direct or through allocation by the State--to meet the cost of a successful capital plan. I hope the Board of Finance can persuasively share this approach with the other elected boards.

Stamford's local tax base remained strong during the COVID pandemic and recent budgets have not been extravagant; our biggest long-term challenge is to find financing for the ongoing capital needs of a growth city.