Questions To Ask

Yourself Before Voting

To the Editor:

From what I’ve been able to see, here’s my take on the budget after four failed referendums. The “town” has been diligent in putting forth a well vetted, well explained budget. I can’t say the same for the education budget. The Board of Education has lacked background material, justifications, and answers to many questions for their budget.

Where we now stand, we’re looking at fewer town services than last year. Examples include one less police officer and less funding for the library. Having volunteered with the Friends of the Library, I can tell you that the library already runs on a shoestring budget, and would have no new books or services without the Friends’ annual book sale proceeds. Plus, town contingency budgets are cut to a bare minimum.

In the face of an $800,000 shortfall to their original budget, the Board of Ed has found areas to cut whereby they claim to provide “same services” plus a new “service” — changing our current half-day to full-day kindergarten (FDK) for all, which requires hiring 15½ more educators.

So, now we’re looking at fewer services from the town, services which benefit all residents, vs same services plus massive new hiring on the education side. These don’t seem like balanced cuts to me. And I’m speaking as a parent with children in the school system, who does not endorse cutting current educational services.

This increase to our education payroll amounts to not only a year-over-year increase to our property taxes, but will also add to our underfunded state pension burden (second worst in the nation) and thus increase our state taxes as well.

This circumstance begs many questions. Why weren’t these $800,000 of budget “cuts” found before the Board of Ed approved its initial budget? Is there still more fat in the education budget? If we’re looking to improve the education of our children, why is FDK-for-all a higher priority than, perhaps, teaching elementary students geography (currently only offered by PTA volunteers) or American and world history (almost nonexistent in elementary and intermediate schools), or regaining our Blue Ribbon status, etc? Did this newly seated Board of Ed thoroughly examine and validate their own strategic goals and priorities?

What measurable benefits should we expect for the costs of FDK-for-all? Did the Board of Ed consider the many studies that demonstrate no lasting academic benefit of full-day vs half-day kindergarten? Did they consider the young children for whom a full day of kindergarten would be detrimental and who would now be compelled to attend a full day of school?

As we head to the voting booths for the fifth time, we need to ask ourselves, should we approve the permanent addition of 15½ educators to the Board of Ed payroll, with questionable lasting academic benefits and the attendant restriction of parental choice? Or would that yearly net expense of at least $400,000–$500,000 be better left in our wallets to spend as we see best for our own families?

Cathy Reiss

42 Obtuse Road, Newtown                                                  July 4, 2012