Norwich ― With the state budget not yet finalized, the Norwich City Council delayed action on the city manager’s proposed $144.2 million city and school budget until next Monday, the last day allowed by city charter to approve a budget.

The council chambers were filled Monday with supporters of the school budget, some carrying signs stating, “Budget Cuts Hurt Kids,” as Mayor Peter Nystrom announced that three resolutions to adopt the 2023-24 city budget and set the tax rate would be postponed to a meeting at 7:30 p.m. on June 12. The council will allow public comment prior to making any budget amendments and votes.

As of late Monday, the state had yet to pass a two-year state budget with municipal and school grant totals. The budget cleared the General Assembly the following evening.

City Manager John Salomone’s budget includes a $48.1 million city government budget with a $2.6 million, 5.7% increase; an $88.9 million school budget, with a $2.1 million, 2.5% increase, and a $2.7 million capital improvements budget.

The combined budgets would need a citywide tax rate of 41.66 mills, a 0.17-mill drop from this year. Taxpayers in the paid fire district would pay an additional 6.79 mills, a 0.14-mill increase, and taxpayers in the five volunteer districts would pay an additional 0.37 mills, a 0.02-mill increase.

But Salomone’s proposed school budget total falls almost $4 million short of the school board’s request for $92.8 million for next year, a 6.98% increase.

“Your budget is woefully underfunded,” Board of Education Chairman Robert Aldi said. “It’s not fiscally responsible, and it’s not correct. You have cut a severe amount from the Board of Education, an amount well over $3 million. I have no idea where we’re going to come up with that money for the next school year.”

Residents Joanne Philbrick and John Blackburn, however, urged the council to keep taxes down. Both said the council hosted two budget public hearings and very few people attended and commented. Blackburn said raising taxes would put a burden on senior citizens. Philbrick questioned how many in the audience live in Norwich.

“If you truly cared, you would be here at council meetings to see how the money is being allocated and how the money is spent,” Philbrick said. “It’s going to be a rough budget season. We know that. We hear it every year. But we cannot, cannot raise taxes again. Find a way to make it work.”

c.bessette@theday.com