School Advocates Seek To Protect Budget From Further Cuts

By Jan Howard

Teacher-student ratios, enrollment projections, fixed costs, and employee benefits were among the many issues raised during a Board of Finance meeting February 26 that addressed the Board of Education’s proposed 2004-05 budget.

The proposed budget of $53,368,457 represents $3,661,310 or 7.37 percent more than the current year’s budget.

The Board of Finance took no action on the budget, which will be discussed again at its final meeting on the total budget Monday, March 8, at 7:30 pm at the Reed School. The finance board was scheduled to discuss the Board of Selectmen’s proposed budget of $31,811,790 Thursday after The Bee went to press this week.

Teachers and parents spoke in favor of the budget, with parent Amy Cameron urging the Board of Finance to support and approve the budget as it is, terming it a “fiscally responsible budget.” She urged the Board of Finance to pass it to the Legislative Council without further cuts.

Presentations were made by Board of Education Chairman Elaine McClure and member Andrew Buzzi and Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff, with questions from Board of Finance members following the presentations.

During the meeting, Board of Finance Chairman John Kortze, noting he was playing devil’s advocate, raised the concern that the budget increase would be hard to justify. “We hear pass it on,” he said, but added, “We have to listen to what the taxpayers are saying. The town historically doesn’t like a budget of this level.”

Board of Finance Vice Chairman Jim Gaston noted that there are tough choices that have to be made this year. He said the Board of Finance struggles with overall factors in the entire budget, including items in the Capital Improvement Plan, such as purchase of open space.

Board of Education member Tom Gissen said that in making reductions to the budget, class size was an important consideration. “We were trying to look at a minimum we could go down without gutting the school system. We are being sensitive to taxpayers, but we don’t want to have classes explode.”

Mr Kortze asked, “Did the taxpayer gut the school system last year?” to which several people in the audience answered, “Yes!”

During presentations, Ms McClure discussed the decision process that led to the board’s proposed budget. She said school principals were requested to present lean budgets to Dr Pitkoff, who then proceeded to cut $1.9 million from those requests. The Board of Education then took Dr Pitkoff’s budget and made additional reductions of approximately $500,000. The budget as requested preserves the present quality of Newtown’s educational system, she said.

“Our goal is that you finish this evening feeling our budget is justified,” she said. “In my opinion, I think the town of Newtown is proud of its school system. As a board we want to maintain that and make it better.”

Ms McClure said cuts to the fourth grade orchestra, the institution of activity fees and increased parking and sports fees, and the busing issue “woke up the town,” she said. “This time people will look at the budget.”

Dr Pitkoff explained that the 2004-05 budget request would increase by $2,346,434 or 4.72 percent without growth related expenses. With proposed growth related expenses another $1,037,621 or 2.09 percent is added. Other proposed costs, such as a special education teacher to replace the high school tutor, two part-time positions for a gifted program, high school and middle school expansions and architectural reviews, and building and site improvements add another $277,255 or 0.56 percent to the request, bringing the total increase to $3,661,310 or 7.37 percent over this year’s budget.

Dr Pitkoff said he used the “most conservative numbers” to develop the budget and that it is the “lowest percentage increase in a long time.”

Special education, he noted, is “always the wild card.” The proposed budget provides for outplacement of 28 students. He noted that a proposed additional special education bus would make it possible to bring children back into the system and save money in the end.

Enrollment figures will rise, he said, because more than 100 additional children are projected to enroll in Newtown schools for the 2004-05 school year.

Costs are also rising, he said, for insurance, energy costs, and workers’ compensation. Seventy-nine percent of the budget is for staff salaries and employee benefits, Dr Pitkoff said.

He said the budget as proposed “doesn’t move us forward, doesn’t catch us up, but preserves the educational program we have.”

Mr Buzzi said the school system is a unique and excellent system with its hallmark being class sizes. He said the budget has to maintain all programs the school system offers as well as maintain buildings. He noted that the budget must balance the needs of taxpayers and the children. “What matters is the taxpayers and what they will be willing to fund,” he said. The taxpayers should be given the choice to fund it, he noted, adding, “Everything hinges on the vote. The taxpayer gets to choose.”

He said the Board of Education is looking to preserve the educational program, not change it. He pointed to items in the budget the board cannot control, such as contractual obligations and utility costs.

“We have given you a budget that is fiscally responsible to maintain Newtown’s excellent school system,” Mr Buzzi said. “We shouldn’t offer them [taxpayers] less to begin with.”

Dr Pitkoff said Newtown’s student-teacher ratio is higher than its reference group. “In every instance our class size is larger,” he noted. He said without an additional teacher for the second grade at Sandy Hook School, there would be 24 students per class. With a seventh teacher, there would be 20 to 21 in a class.

Assistant Superintendent Alice Jackson said smaller class sizes in the lower grades have produced very good test results. “We have very few that are not within standards.”

To questions about the rising cost of benefits and whether self-insurance had been considered, the school system’s business director, Ron Bienkowski, said that it worked favorably for approximately ten years, but the reserve eroded. “We had to freeze the school budget to pay claims. Blue Cross gave us a more favorable rate,” he said. He said the town is contacting other companies to see if they can offer cost savings on comparable coverage.

In regard to purchasing supplies, Mr Bienkowski said the town belongs to a consortium of 65 schools and municipalities that for the last three years has produced lower bids than the state has received. The process, which began in Danbury 15 years ago, works well, he noted. Newtown purchases fuel oil on its own, however, because it obtained a lower price than the consortium.

Day-to-day purchases at the schools are made through three competitive quotes, he said.

Mr Kortze questioned how the budget could be approached in a different way. “I encourage the Board of Education and the town to look at the budget at a different angle. Last year we were way off.

“Sensitivity would be at or below what passed last year. How do we address that? In my opinion, the taxpayer is not willing to support it.”

Mr Gissen said, “I’m not sure there’s a magic number that would pass.” He encouraged taxpayers “to get out and change the trend.” He added, “Many more people are upset this year. There seems to be a different flavor” because the budget was cut too much.

Board of Education member Lisa Schwartz agreed. “There is a change in the tenor this year,” she said noting letters and emails she is receiving for the first time. “There is a climate of change.” She urged that the voter be given an opportunity to express that changed tenor.

Dr Pitkoff said people are angry because the proposed school budget came in low and the board made additional cuts.

Ms Cameron said that despite being presented with a lean budget, the Board of Finance and Legislative Council would believe they have to cut it before it gets to the voters. Parents are concerned about class sizes, she said. “Increasing class sizes is not the way to go,” she said.

Parent Bill Sheluck said an important part of quality of life issues is a quality school system. “Once the school goes down the slippery slope, it takes ten years to bring it back,” he said, which would effect property values of everyone in town.

“The ultimate question is what the taxpayer can vote for,” Mr Buzzi said. “Let the taxpayer make the choice.”