Members of the city’s Board of Finance said they were worried about how to pay for a new Westhill High School even with substantial help from the state. The total cash needed to pay for the work in each of the next four fiscal years is high: it’s estimated to be $52.66 million in fiscal year 2024-25, $106.8 million the following year and $90.4 million the next, with more payments in future years. The total project is estimated to cost $301.3 million, of which the state has agreed to pay for 80 percent of eligible expenses. In a letter to the Board of Representatives, Simmons noted that the Board of Finance already cut her proposed operating budget for city government by $6.3 million and cut the Board of Education’s budget by $1.25 million. She argued that any further cuts by the Board of Representatives “would negatively impact city services for residents.” Simmons said in her letter that she and leaders of the Board of Representatives agreed on a $5 million reduction to the school construction reserve in lieu of other cuts.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/stamford-finance-board-worries-covering-new-17922363.php