I am truly in awe of the incredible level of engagement and mobilization. I’ve never felt more connected to the Hamden community, and I’m encouraged and inspired by the camaraderie and willingness of people from all political perspectives to engage in open, meaningful discussions on this issue.
During the budget proposal meeting on Monday, Mayor Garrett described the rate reduction as “significant” and “something to be proud of.” Currently, our petition has gathered over 700 signatures (in just one day), indicating that many homeowners and renters are concerned about the impact of these increases. Given the challenges we’re facing, these comments don’t resonate with those struggling to keep up with rising costs.
While this is undeniably a complex challenge, it requires honesty about our budget constraints, and we must all be willing to face the reality that cuts are necessary. To ensure our voices are heard, I will be organizing a community survey to gather input on budget priorities and identify programs or funding residents are willing to forfeit to make the cost of living more sustainable for everyone. We will then share these insights with our council for consideration.
Thank you to everyone who has signed the petition, sent emails, shared resources, and ideas! Please stay tuned, and if you’d like to partner together to help find solutions to this issue, please reach out to me.
Email me at miss.gracevalentine@gmail.com if you’re interested in:
💻 Attending a virtual forum on the 2025-2026 budget
📋 Completing a brief survey on the town budget
🤝 Providing backend support for these initiatives
📚 YOUR STORY MATTERS!
Please email your concerns and personal circumstances to our council—feel free to use this as a resource.
🏦 READ THE 2025-2026 BUDGET PROPOSAL:
https://www.hamden.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=768
Thank you!
Grace