Public Speaks On

2010-2011 Budget

By Eliza Hallabeck

The Legislative Council conducted a public hearing on the 2010-2011 budget Thursday, March 25, in the Lecture Hall of Newtown High School. With one exception, all of the speakers addressed the cuts the Board of Finance recommended in the Board of Education’s side of the budget. Most requested that money removed from the proposed 2010-2011 school budget increase be replaced.

The only speaker during the hearing who did not address the school budget was Lori Capozziello, who, with a number of skate boarding youth behind her, asked Legislative Council members to match an anonymous donation of $25,000 to fund a skate park in town. The donation came with a stipulation that the town would match its money.

“By not supporting a skate park we are making our skaters lawbreakers,” Ms Capozziello said.

The 2010-2011 school district’s $69,415,876 budget was approved by the education board on February 9, reflecting a 4.8 percent increase over last year’s spending package. On March 8, the Board of Finance reduced the school board’s requested 2010-2011 increase by $2.5 million, leaving the school district with a $679,806 increase for the coming fiscal year.

Resident Mark Mattioli said he had a somewhat different view than the other speakers during the night, and he was the only person addressing the school budget who did not request adding back money. He has loved the teachers his children have had in the district so far, but said he does not like the town spending money it does not have. Leaving the $2.5 million out of the school budget, he said, would still give the school board an increase over the current year’s budget.

That would mean a risk of loosing some teaching positions, he said.

“That said, I think we need to make a little bit of a risk here,” Mr Mattioli said, adding later he agreed to also looking at the town side of the budget.

Mr Mattioli also compared the cuts in teachers to staffing reductions at the company he works for in Shelton, where 1,000 people, including himself, will lose their jobs in the coming months. He spoke, he said, to add balance in the night’s discussion.

Newtown Middle School computer technology teacher Tina Welsh spoke in defense of her computer integration course, which was listed by Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson in future budget reductions to meet the $2.5 million cut from the school budget increase by the Board of Finance.

“This program reaches every student in seventh and eighth grade,” said Ms Welsh, adding she knows her course makes a difference to students.

Hoping the Legislative Council will reconsider cutting the school budget increase, Ms Welsh said the technology curriculum ready to go before the Board of Education for approval should be supported in its entirety.

Ms Welsh said the town cannot afford to allow students to regress in the area of technology, a sentiment similar to what resident Larry Hart shared.

Working at a company in Wilton, he said the company needs to bring in technology experts from other countries, where math and science are strong subjects.

“I don’t know if the Board of Education got their budget just right,” said Mr Hart. “I’m really not sure I have seen all the data. I do know indirectly they did quite a bit of deliberation, so I have to trust them. What I do know is; we cannot afford to get it wrong, and the percent of the cuts that are being discussed give us a greater likelihood of getting it wrong than getting it right.”

Representing the art department at Newtown High School, resident Diane Dutchick said without her fellow art teacher Carol Pelligra, students will not have the opportunity to take the courses now offered at the school.

“I’m asking you to please restore the arts program,” said Ms Dutchick. “It is essential.”

The humanities course, combining both English and art, and the advanced placement art class will not be possible without one-third of the art department’s workforce, according to Ms Dutchick.

Thanks to the support of Mrs Pelligra, NHS junior Sara Hill said, she has won awards and more. Sara’s work is currently on display in the K–12 National Ceramic Exhibition in Philadelphia.

“She inspired me to stay in school,” said Sara, who also started a Facebook group to support Mrs Pelligra keeping her job. The group is called “Don’t Fire Mrs Pelligra! Save Newtown High’s Integrity!”

“Please restore our budget,” Newtown Middle School student Bethany Dubois asked the Legislative Council. “Let the town decide our budget. I’m sure they will support the students.”

Bethany spoke to teacher cuts proposed if the budget is not restored, and the option discussed by the school board of canceling after school programs. After listing many after school programs she has been involved with, she said one of her favorites is the Jazz Band, overseen by NMS teacher Mark Mahoney.

Resident Charles Hepp provided the council with information he had compiled.

“We do spend about $1,000 less than the state and about $1,000 less than the [District Reference Group] per child,” Mr Hepp said. Later, he added there is one area the school district does excel at —the relatively high number of students per class.

Mr Hepp was also one of several residents who brought up the topic of property values being connected to a town’s education system.

The Legislative Council is scheduled to have a regular budget meeting on April 7 in Newtown High School’s Lecture Hall, where the council will deliberate the budget.