The Bridgeport City Council is the legislative branch of Connecticut’s largest city, made up of 20 members who pass local ordinances, set the property tax rate, approve the municipal budget, and confirm the Mayor’s appointments to boards and commissions. Two members represent each of the city’s ten districts, and every seat is up for election every two years.
Who Represents You
Chapter 5 of the Bridgeport City Charter puts all legislative power in the council’s hands and fixes its size at 20 members, with two elected from each of ten districts.1City of Bridgeport. Bridgeport Charter Revision Commission Draft Report The districts are numbered 130 through 139, and each one covers a cluster of neighborhoods. Boundaries change through a local redistricting process, so the surest way to know which district you live in is the interactive map on the city’s website.2City of Bridgeport. Bridgeport Local Redistricting
Terms run until November 30 of the next odd-numbered year, which puts the entire council in front of voters on a two-year cycle. The seats are unpaid, part-time positions, so members generally hold other jobs and attend meetings in the evenings. A Charter Revision Commission recently looked at adding salaries and decided against it.3Charter Revision Commission. Charter Revision Commission Final Transmittal Letter Current members and their contact details are listed on the council’s page on the city website.
What the Council Does
The council’s central job is writing the city’s ordinances: creating, amending, and repealing the local laws that govern zoning, public health, commerce, safety, and the handling of city property and finances.1City of Bridgeport. Bridgeport Charter Revision Commission Draft Report Those ordinances become part of the Bridgeport Code, and they can carry fines or other penalties that vary by ordinance.
The council also confirms or rejects the Mayor’s appointments to municipal boards and commissions, including the Police Commission and the Planning and Zoning Commission. When the Mayor vetoes legislation, the council can override that veto with a two-thirds vote of the full body, meaning at least 14 of the 20 members. The Mayor’s veto authority is limited to a line-item veto, so individual provisions can be struck but a full ordinance cannot be rejected outright.4Charter Revision Commission. Charter of the City of Bridgeport
Budget and Property Taxes
Each year the Mayor’s Office of Policy and Management drafts a proposed operating budget and sends it to the council. The council reviews the whole plan, makes additions and changes, and returns it to the Mayor.5City of Bridgeport. Proposed Annual Operating Budget Fiscal Year 2026-2027 If the Mayor line-item vetoes any part of it, restoring those items takes the same two-thirds supermajority as any other veto override.4Charter Revision Commission. Charter of the City of Bridgeport
The council also sets the mill rate, which is what actually determines property tax bills. For fiscal year 2025–2026, the rate is 43.45 mills for real estate and personal property, or $43.45 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.6City of Bridgeport. How Your Taxes Are Determined
Leadership and Committees
At the start of each term the council elects one of its own as president, and the charter requires a majority of the full council (at least 11 votes) to win the seat.1City of Bridgeport. Bridgeport Charter Revision Commission Draft Report The president runs meetings, controls the agenda, and refers proposed ordinances and resolutions to committee. The council also has majority and minority leader positions.
Most legislation goes to a committee before the full council votes. Members can question department heads, consult legal counsel, and work through details that wouldn’t fit a full session, then send a recommendation back to the floor. For the 2025–2026 term, seven standing committees are in place:7City of Bridgeport. Committees of the City Council
- Budget and Appropriations, which reviews the Mayor’s proposed budget and oversees spending.8City of Bridgeport. Budget and Appropriations Committee
- Ordinances, which examines new local laws and amendments.
- Public Safety and Transportation, covering emergency services, policing, and infrastructure.
- Economic and Community Development and Environment, covering development projects and environmental policy.
- Contracts, which reviews agreements between the city and outside vendors.
- Education and Social Services, covering education funding and social welfare.
- Miscellaneous Matters, for items that don’t fit elsewhere.
Meetings and Public Comment
The council meets on the first and third Monday of each month, with an extra meeting on the second Monday of May. In July, August, and November of election years, only the first-Monday meeting is held.9City of Bridgeport. City Council Schedule of Regular Public Meetings Public speaking begins at 6:30 p.m. and the formal meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.10City of Bridgeport. City Council
To speak at public comment, you can submit an online request through the city’s website or file a written request in person at the City Clerk’s Office. Requests must reach the Clerk by the Wednesday before the meeting. Ten speakers are allowed per meeting, each with three minutes. Any slots still open by 6:30 p.m. the night of the meeting go on a first-come, first-served basis.11City of Bridgeport. Public Comment Period – Sign Up to Speak For matters that don’t fit the three-minute format, contacting your district representatives directly through their city email or phone number is a better route.
Public Records
Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act lets residents inspect public records held by the city, including council documents, meeting minutes, and correspondence. Written requests can go by mail, email, fax, or in person to the department that holds the records, and the city runs an online FOI portal where requests can be filed and tracked. Verbal requests to inspect records in person are also permitted.12City of Bridgeport. Records Request
Charter Changes on the Table
Bridgeport’s Charter Revision Commission finished a review in 2025 that could change how the council operates. The commission recommended keeping the council at 20 members with no at-large seats, formalizing the president pro tempore role, and giving the council president the power to call special meetings, which only the Mayor can do now. It also proposed a permanent Office of Legislative Services with dedicated staff to support council work.3Charter Revision Commission. Charter Revision Commission Final Transmittal Letter Another proposed change would clarify that the Mayor’s veto reaches only ordinances and resolutions, not internal council business such as adopting rules, electing officers, or making committee assignments. The commission also proposed letting the council fill board and commission vacancies when the Mayor fails to act within 90 days.