Litchfield Adopts $41.4 Million Fiscal Year 2027 Budget with Heavy Infrastructure Focus

Litchfield City Council Meeting | April 16, 2026

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council formally adopted the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, utilizing accumulated capital reserves to fund extensive infrastructure and deferred maintenance projects to prevent future emergency costs.

FY 2027 Budget Key Points:

• The FY 2027 budget projects $31.9 million in revenue against $41.4 million in planned expenditures.

• A $9.5 million gap will be covered by existing capital reserves, specifically targeting deferred maintenance.

• Approximately 50% of the total budget is dedicated to infrastructure improvements, including roads and underground systems.

• Supplemental funding from grants accounts for 35% of the overall budget.

The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, April 16, 2026, unanimously approved an ordinance adopting the Annual Budget for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2026, and ending April 30, 2027.

The approved budget plans for $41.4 million in expenditures against $31.9 million in revenue. Mayor Jacob Fleming addressed the $9.5 million gap, explaining that the city is intentionally drawing down built-up capital reserves to tackle long-overdue infrastructure needs.

“We take deferred maintenance seriously,” Mayor Fleming said. “We built up a lot of capital over these years. We need to use it so we do not have another emergency event. When you have an emergency, your fees go up tenfold. So the council, I believe, made a strategic decision to spend money now.”

According to the mayor, 50 percent of the newly adopted budget is allocated toward roads and underwater infrastructure. Furthermore, 35 percent of the budget’s funding is secured through supplemental grants. The budget ordinance, pushed forward by Alderperson Sara Zumwalt, passed without any alterations from the prior public budget workshop held on April 2.