Council Is Not Representing

The Community

To the Editor:

The total amount of BOF/LC reductions to the BOE budget in the last 13 years is $13 million (with $10 million reduced in the last seven years). The average BOE budget increase in the last four years has been .87 percent and 6.58 percent in the eight previous years.

The reductions have been drastic in the last four years which explains why Newtown is now ranked 149 out of 169 towns for per pupil spending although we are ranked 34th for wealth. The budget reductions are taking a toll on the school system. The programs that have been cut over the years have never been restored. Newtown HS (once a Blue Ribbon school) was not ranked in US News for Best High Schools in CT. Not surprising since NHS’s request for more staffing was rejected by the BOE.

The BOE reduced the superintendent’s budget request by $1.5 million then the BOF reduced the BOE budget request by another $700,000 followed by LC’s arbitrarily $1 million reduction (and not a penny from the town side) to the BOF budget after the first failed budget referendum. Total of $3.2 million has been reduced from the superintendent’s request.

The BOE budget increase we are now being asked to approve on June 5 is only .57 percent more ($384,000). The schools needed $1.5 million to fund the same services therefore an increase of $384,000 will not be enough and it is highly unlikely that full-day kindergarten program will be implemented since another $457,000 is needed (unless cuts are made elsewhere).

The BOE/superintendent have not provided information on which programs/services will be cut therefore the voters have no idea what type of a budget they are being asked to approve. The voters deserve to know what they will be losing before June 5 therefore I have asked the LC to encourage the BOE/superintendent to communicate to the voters what is at stake (number of teaching positions, number of buses, art programs, music programs, sports, pay to play, language programs etc) if the voters accept the $1.7 million BOF/LC reductions. 

Despite hundreds of e-mails from education supporters to either restore the budget or not reduce any more from education budget or take away from the town side, the LC chose to reduce the tax increase from 1.28 percent to 1.07 percent after the second defeated budget by shifting $200,000 of the $400,000 that was slated for the rainy day account (one year earlier). It is essentially the same budget. The LC failed to represent the education supporters and the “no tax increase” faction. Meanwhile, surrounding towns are approving tax increases that are double and triple that of Newtown’s 1.07 percent. We all share the same economic pressures however the town leaders from other towns allow their voters to decide on budgets that do not compromise existing services and programs.

If the BOE can demonstrate that programs/services will not be cut from the schools before June 5, I will consider voting Yes otherwise I will be voting No to give the LC another opportunity to restore the cuts to the education budget.

Po Murray

38 Charter Ridge, Sandy Hook May 23, 2012