The Board of Finance opened its meeting on Thursday, February 19, with a public hearing on the proposed 2015–16 town of Newtown budget.

Most who spoke, shared opinions specifically on the school district’s proposed 2015–16 budget, which was later presented to the Board of Finance by Board of Education Chair Keith Alexander and Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr.

“We welcome anybody to come up and speak on any item in the budget,” said Board of Finance Chair John Kortze at the start of the public hearing.

Resident Mike Salaris was the first to speak during the public hearing. He handed out sheets to the finance board members that he said was his own analysis of school districts in the state.

“I looked at about 50 different districts,” said Mr Salaris, “and I was looking for four pieces of information. I was looking for enrollment, total dollars spent on the education budget, total dollars spent on facilities, and total dollars spent on transportation.”

After looking over all the gathered data, Mr Salaris said he found 27 budgets with the information he was concerned with, and he presented that information to the finance board, according to his presentation.

Mr Salaris went on to explain that he listed Newtown ranked at 19, or in the lower two-thirds of its District Reference Group (DRG) and the state for education spending. For facilities and transportation spending, Mr Salaris said he ranked Newtown as second in the group. When he looked at instruction costs, Mr Salaris said, “We’re at the bottom of the barrel. We’re [27] out of these 27 here for what actually goes to instruction.”

Mr Salaris also shared further information from his findings, which he said came from the State of Connecticut.

Near the end of his presentation, Mr Salaris asked the Board of Finance to be aware that any cuts to the school budget would most likely come from instruction, “and that’s probably the place where we can least afford to do it.”

Stephen Rosenblatt spoke next saying that his “greatest concern for the…future welfare or wellbeing of Newtown is the present size and the rising cost of the school budget.”

Mr Rosenblatt pointed out the school budget accounts for “almost 70 percent of the taxpayer’s tax dollar,” before sharing that it is his view and the view of others in Newtown’s growing senior population that the, “Board of Finance’s ability to manage the town’s budget in concert with the first selectman and finance director to produce a less than inflation increase is on the record.”

Likening the Board of Finance to a business’s board of directors, Mr Rosenblatt asked, “Do we need a voter referendum to allow the Board of Finance to bring the ever increasing school budgets in line? If so, let us begin. If not, what can and will this board do to act in this manner?”

A number of residents voiced support for the education budget. Some requested that the Board of Finance send the budget on as is for voters to pass their judgment.

Carlen Gaines was one of the people who asked for voters to “have the first say.”

Ms Gaines said, like Mr Rosenblatt, she is also part of the growing senior population in Newtown, “and I have followed this budget process fairly closely this year, as I have for many, many years…and I just want to stress to you, I think that this year it’s important that this budget go through and go to the voters.”

Newtown Middle School PTA Co-President Tracey Jaeger shared the support of all of the district’s PTAs and its PTSA for the budget.

Mr Alexander began the school board’s budget presentation by thanking his board and the superintendent and his administrative staff for working hard on the budget.

The school board adopted its 2015–16 budget during a meeting on Thursday, February 5. As adopted by the school board, the budget proposal had minimal adjustments made by the superintendent to his originally proposed budget. The superintendent first presented his proposed budget to the school board on January 6 as $72,399,186, a 1.48 percent increase over this year’s $71,345,304 budget. At a school board meeting on February 4, Dr Erardi and district Business Director Ron Bienkowski said newly gathered data had lowered the proposed budget hike to 1.27 percent, or a $72,253,488 spending plan. The superintendent's original budget proposal is available here.

Dr Erardi spoke to different pieces of the budget during his presentation. He shared information about how an early retirement incentive plan contributed to staffing reductions, Newtown’s uniqueness in balancing grant funding within the budget, budget driving factors, and new programs and plans for the 2015–16 school year, including a pilot Spanish language program for kindergarteners.

“I’m hoping that we can do this together and that it is a partnership together,” said Dr Erardi near the end of his presentation, “that we inform the community with the best information, [and] we do it in a way that is done with great respect.”

The superintendent also said he plans to keep a running record of all the questions the finance board asks to create a “bank” of answers.

“Our job is to work in partnership with you,” said Dr Erardi. “Our job is to make sure that what we’ve shared with you represents our plan for children next year, and I know it is your job to make sure our plan works for this community.”

Mr Kortze made a number of requests for the superintendent and school board to respond to at future Board of Finance meetings. Some of those requests included sharing an update on the district’s non-lapsing account, further information about the state’s Excess Cost Grant, and Mr Kortze requested the superintendent discuss declining enrollment when compared to an increase in the school district’s budget.

Mr Kortze also said a “good discussion on bussing” should be had.

“It seems a topic that is linked to enrollment,” said Mr Kortze, about bussing. “I understand it is not a one-to-one ratio…but it is clear to me that with a drop in enrollment and [with] what we originally contracted for and what we have now, I think there needs to be a good discussion as to why we have what we have based on what’s going on now.”

Mr Kortze also said he thinks one challenge the town faces is understanding the difference between changes in enrollment and an increase in the budget.

“I think a lot of people really need to have a good understanding, and I understand it is challenging,” said Mr Kortze. “Try to come up with that answer as to why we should support additional money this year. I’m not asking for me. I’m asking in general.”

Mr Kortze said he is hopeful Dr Erardi could provide some “clarity of thinking” toward the topic of enrollment and the budget at a future meeting.

During the meeting, Mr Kortze also said the Board of Selectman’s budget is set to be presented at his board’s next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, at 7:30 pm at the Newtown Municipal Center. He also said more detailed questions regarding the school budget will occur during future finance board meetings.