New Britain Reimbursed Erin Stewart $31K+ for Master’s Tuition

New Britain Mayor’s Master’s Degree Reimbursement Sparks Controversy and Investigations

A story brewing in Connecticut has folks talking. Former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart got over $30,000 in city reimbursements for her Master’s coursework at the University of New Haven.

That’s set off a wave of debate and kicked official investigations into gear. Let’s dig into the details of the agreement, the money involved, and why so many people are raising their eyebrows.

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The Agreement and the Funds

We got our hands on documents showing a hefty $31,561.54 reimbursed to Stewart for her Master’s studies at the University of New Haven. These payments happened between 2021 and 2022, which had a direct impact on city funds.

Here’s how the disbursements broke down:

$5,142.50 in September 2021
$3,712.89 in September 2021
$10,395 in December 2021
$9,163.94 in May 2022
$3,147.21 in July 2022

This all came from a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) the city approved on May 26, 2021. The deal said the city would pay for her tuition if she got passing grades and turned in proof she finished the courses.

It was supposed to be a temporary thing, only while Stewart worked for the city. The agreement made it clear this wasn’t a precedent or a new right for anyone else. What’s odd is the money originally came from an account mainly set aside for employee healthcare. Later, they tweaked it to include educational expenses, which raised a few questions.

Criticism and Scrutiny Mount

Once word got out, criticism came in hot, especially from people who’ve led New Britain before. Mayor Bobby Sanchez didn’t mince words, calling the arrangement “potentially criminal” and accusing it of being a “deliberate effort to circumvent rules protecting taxpayers.”

Former Mayor Donald DeFronzo weighed in too. He pointed out that tuition reimbursement has usually gone to union employees for degrees that help the city. But seeing an elected official—let alone a sitting mayor—get this benefit surprised him. He called the MOA a “poor practice,” slammed its lack of transparency, and questioned whether it had the authority to spend public money this way. He’s pushing for more accountability and a closer look at how these kinds of deals happen in the first place.

Broader Investigations Underway

The controversy over Mayor Stewart’s Master’s degree reimbursements isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s playing out alongside wider investigations into her personal spending.

Connecticut State Police and the FBI are reportedly digging into how the former mayor used a city credit card. Details are still coming out, but just knowing these investigations exist ramps up the pressure on Stewart’s time in office.

This scrutiny stretches beyond New Britain. It could even touch towns like Berlin, Farmington, and the state capital, Hartford.

People in New Britain—and honestly, across Southington, Plainville, Bristol, and West Hartford—are paying close attention. They’re trying to figure out if there were any financial missteps and want to see their tax dollars handled responsibly.

An attorney for Erin Stewart isn’t saying anything right now. We’ll keep an eye on this story and share updates as they come in.

Here is the source article for this story: Documents show New Britain reimbursed Erin Stewart more than $31K for master’s tuition

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