Residents attending a February 18 Board of Finance public hearing on the overall budget proposed for the 2016-17 fiscal year raised a host of issues about the spending plan, with most of the comments focusing on proposed education spending.A detailed version of the selectmen's proposed budget is online at newtown-ct.gov; a detailed version of the school board's proposed budget is at newtown.k12.ct.us.)Public Comment

Six finance board members listened to comments from an audience of about 50 on both the $41,190,943 town government spending proposal, as well as the $74,215,066 education spending plan. Overall, the proposed budget is $115,406,009.

The spending proposals are those which have been endorsed by the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education, respectively.

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Voters at the annual budget referendum in April will cast separate ballots on the two spending proposals, which likely would be modified to some degree, as they are reviewed by the finance board and the Legislative Council.

Using preliminary estimated revenues and a preliminary taxable grand list, the selectmen's proposed budget and the school board's proposed budget, when combined, would produce an estimated 2016-17 tax rate of 33.91 mills. If the tax rate is set at 33.91 mills, it would reflect an effective annual tax increase of 2.55 percent.

If a 2.55 percent tax increase were to take effect for the 2016-17 fiscal year, provided that the assessed value of a given real estate parcel has not increased, a parcel that was taxed at $10,000 for the current fiscal year, would then be taxed at $10,255 in fiscal 2016-17.

Board of Finance Chair James O. Gaston, Sr, explained his board held the public hearing to receive comments from the public. Thus, board members did not have conversations with those offering their opinions on public spending.

The finance board is slated to meet at 7:30 pm on Monday, February 22, at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, for further discussion on proposed spending. The board also has scheduled a budget review session for February 29, at the same time and place.

Tracy Jaeger of 3 Honey Lane, a local Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) official, who was accompanied by several other PTA officials, stressed the PTA's support for the proposed education budget. Much time was spent formulating the spending plan, she said.

"We believe the right thing to do is to let the voters decide" on the proposed school spending plan, Ms Jaeger said.

Karen Roszman of 13 Stonewall Ridge Road urged that the Board of Finance not alter the Board of Education's spending proposal.

The school superintendent is an education expert and he knows what is required in terms of spending to maintain educational quality, Ms Roszman said. She added that the superintendent reduced the amount of spending that had been proposed by school administrators.

Paul Murphy of 17 Greenleaf Farms Road said that the proposed education budget has a higher rate of increase than the proposed town government budget. Mr Murphy stressed that the school system's student enrollment is decreasing. He said he does not see a justification for the size of the school spending increase, in asking that the education spending proposal be reduced.

Julia Conlin of 11 Old Castle Drive told Board of Finance members that simply saying that the proposed school budget is too high is neither thoughtful nor practical.

Kristen Bonacci of 12 Meridian Ridge Drive, a PTA official, urged that Finance Board members not change the spending proposal listed in the "technology" section of the proposed education budget.

Sushil Gupta of 7 Lincoln Road said the Board of Education is seeking too much money in its spending proposal, in noting that school system enrollment has been decreasing.

Mr Gupta asked how the pay increases specified in the school teachers' recently settled labor contract can be justified. Other types of workers get smaller pay increases than teachers, he said.

Mr Gupta, who said he has lived in town for 29 years, noted that until now he has annually supported the local education budget proposal.

Senior citizens need suitable programs for socialization and physical exercise, he said, in urging Finance Board members to support such spending.

Kristen Alesevich of 16 Fieldstone Drive said that town school teachers are "paid poorly" compared to teachers in other towns. Local teachers work very hard, she said, in urging that the proposed school budget not be cut.

Joanna Rosen of 60 Sugar Lane said that the Finance Board should trust the judgment of the local officials who formulated the budget requests for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

John Vouros of 29 Main Street, who is a school board member and a former town school teacher, also spoke.

Mr Vouros said Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, is one of the best school superintendents in the country.

"The [proposed school] budget is above reproach," Mr Vouros said. "No one should be second-guessing the Board of Education," Mr Vouros added.

Paul Parvis of 18 Leopard Drive asked whether the spending proposed for road work in the town government budget is sufficient. He urged the Board of Finance to support suitable funding for road work. Some local roads pose "dangerous" conditions for motorists, he said, in adding that all residents travel the roads.

Robert Merola of 22 Ashford Lane said that the roughly three percent annual pay raises provided in recently settled teachers' labor contract amount to a 13.27 percent pay hike, when compounded annually across the four-year term of the pact.

The school system's enrollment has been declining, Mr Merola said. The schools have lost 1,108 students during a nine-year period, reflecting more than 20 percent of the student population, he added.

Many residents "are not happy with a skyrocketing education budget," Mr Merola said.

According to budget figures provided at the public hearing, the school budget for the current fiscal year is $71,587,946, as calculated on December 31, 2015. The proposed school budget is $74,215,066. That proposal reflects a more than 3.6 percent spending increase.