Canton's Budget Battle/Tax Situation: What Happens Next?

CANTON, CT — Two weeks after voters offered a resounding "no" on proposed Canton town/education budgets for 2026-27, town officials have responded.

Canton officials this week released a revised proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year ahead of a second referendum vote scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, after residents rejected the original spending plan earlier this month.

The updated proposal lowers the budget increase from 8.4% to 5.8%, according to information released jointly by the Canton Board of Finance, Canton Board of Selectmen, and Canton Board of Education.

Under the revised plan, the proposed budget totals $53,784,729, down $1.305 million from the original $55,089,729 proposal rejected by voters on May 14.

Town officials said the revised package would result in a projected tax increase of 1.32%, with an estimated annual increase of about $121 for a home assessed at $275,000.

The proposed mill rate would decrease from the previously proposed 35.11 mills to 33.94 mills.

According to town officials, reductions were made across several areas of the budget, including:

• $43,000 from town operations
• $375,000 from the Board of Education budget
• $430,000 from the Board of Finance spending
• $457,000 from capital improvements

Officials said the revisions were intended to respond to voter concerns while maintaining funding for education, public safety and infrastructure.

The revised budget referendum will be held Tuesday, June 2, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Canton Community Center.

Meanwhile, the Canton Registrar of Voters' Office announced that ballot testing for the referendum will take place Thursday, May 28, at 2:30 p.m. in the Registrar of Voters' office at Canton Town Hall.

The public is invited to attend.

The revised proposal follows the May 14 referendum in which Canton voters rejected the original $55.1 million budget by a vote of 1,148 to 796.

The initial proposal would have increased the town’s mill rate from 33.50 to 35.11, which officials estimated would have raised annual taxes on a median assessed home by about $349.72.

Town leaders are encouraging residents to review the updated proposal and participate in the upcoming referendum vote.

For the latest Canton budget referendum information, click on this link.

From May 15: 'The Votes Are In, How Did Canton's Budget Vote Go?'