Wallingford Mayor Eliminates New Positions Added In Town Council’s Adopted Budget

WALLINGFORD, CT — Wallingford Mayor Vincent Cervoni used veto powers in the Town Charter to eliminate five town positions, including four in the fire department, that were added in the Town Council’s recently adopted budget.

Cervoni notified the Town Council in a letter Monday of his budget adjustments.

The council last week approved, in a 7-2 vote, a budget that lowered Cervoni’s proposed tax increase from 3.19 percent to 1.9 percent. The council’s budget also increased the contribution from the general fund by $2 million and added six positions.

In his letter to the council, Cervoni wrote that the town’s budget “cannot be viewed as a single year experience.”

“A town must be able to exist and operate indefinitely,” Cervoni wrote. “This office must look beyond the current budget year and consider future impacts. As past budgets have had an impact upon the present, the budget recently adopted by the council will have an impact on future budgets.

“The council’s budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 increases services through employed positions which will obligate the town in future budgets. These reoccurring annual expenses will burden the town’s finances going forward, certainly causing an increase in the budget for fiscal year 2027-28.”

In his proposed budget, Cervoni reduced the Board of Education’s request by $601,632. Since that time, the state legislature approved additional funding for cities and towns. With those funds, the council fully funded the Board of Education’s requested amount.

“Adding the strategic plan items back into the education funding included four new positions, also increasing the education budget next year,” Cervoni wrote. “Fortunately, recent action by the state legislature has provided education directed funding for Wallingford which more than offsets the strategic plan budget for the fiscal year 2026-27.”

However, Cervoni said the added government positions were funded by increasing the general fund contribution from $9 million to $11 million.

“This increasing reliance upon the general fund is not sustainable,” Cervoni wrote. “Continued increasing reliance will reduce the unallocated reserve, risking the town’s financial stability and potentially having a negative impact on the town’s bond rating. Our bond rating is crucial as we take on projects to maintain and improve our infrastructure. Our rating when selling bonds for recent projects, including the purchase of 4 Fairfield Boulevard, school boiler replacements, and the new Police Station, are the most recent examples of how our financial management practices have had a direct and positive impact on Wallingford’s finances.

“With the future in mind, it cannot be emphasized enough that reducing the reliance on the unallocated fund balance is important.”

Citing the power granted the mayor in Chapter III, Section 7(a) of the Wallingford Town Charter, Cervoni said he was eliminating five of the six positions that were added in the council’s budget. Cervoni kept one of the new positions, a fire inspector at a salary of $103,287.

The eliminated new positions included two Fire Department Medical Services Officers (each with a $96,401 salary), a second fire inspector at $103,287, and a firefighter with a salary of $69,644.

Cervoni also eliminated a senior clerk position in the building department with a salary of $54,655.

“Additionally, I am eliminating the funding proposed for the Golden Fox Theatre as their submission did not include a budget,” Cervoni wrote. “The net reduction of spending is in the total amount of $637,912. Correspondingly, the same amount, $637,912, will be reduced from the amount listed as income from the Audited Fund Balance. The mill rate as proposed by the council will remain the same.”

The council set the mill rate at 24.57. Cervoni’s originally proposed mill rate was 24.89. A mill is equal to $1 of tax for each $1,000 of assessment.

The council has 10 days to override a mayoral veto under the Town Charter.