Date: Fri 03-Apr-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

council-budget-schools

Full Text:

Council's Budget Proposal Draws Few Comments

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Tuesday night's hearing on the town's proposed budget for 1998-99 took about

20 minutes as only a handful of residents stood to be heard.

"It was a record short meeting," said Legislative Council chairman Pierre

Rochman.

The council chairman believes the small turnout indicates that residents do

not have any major objections to the proposed $58.7 million budget, which

increases taxes by 3.7 percent.

As it now stands, the spending package will raise the tax rate by one mill to

27 mills. The increase in expenditures this year has, for the most part, been

offset by a grand list that will bring in an additional $1.8 million in

revenue this year.

Notwithstanding Mr Rochman's suggestion that the short meeting "kind of

indicates that people have generally accepted the budget," Board of Education

member Elaine McClure offered another interpretation: the low turnout may have

been an indication that taxpayers had no choice but to "accept" the budget,

$32 million of which will go to fund schools.

"It's hard to say the budget is acceptable when teachers are being cut," she

said, referring to last week's school board decision to hold off on two new

middle school positions due to recent cuts.

There was a clear lack of "acceptance" last month when the Legislative Council

opted to slice $800,000 from the Board of Education side of the budget. Back

then, angry school supporters urged the council to reconsider its action,

saying the annual cuts have to stop. In time, these cuts will begin to affect

student learning, they said.

On March 10, the Legislative Council voted, 9-3, in favor of the $800,000 cut,

reminding residents that the schools were actually seeking an additional $3.1

million over what they are currently getting.

The cut dropped the Board of Education's request of a 10.1 percent increase

down to 7.4 percent. That was too much of a reduction, parents argued. Some

council members agreed. On March 17, an attempt by council member Ed Lucas to

have a portion of the school board money restored failed when the council's

vote was a 6-6 tie. Parents walked away angry.

"People came to speak at that meeting and the Legislative Council wouldn't

even re-open the issue for discussion," Mrs McClure said. "They come. They

speak, but it just seems to fall on deaf ears."

Since the March meeting, however, two face-to-face conferences between the

council's finance committee and the Board of Education appeared to have ironed

out some of the political differences -- at least to the point of

"acceptance."

As Mr Rochman explained Tuesday, the net effect of the school budget reduction

will actually be more like $275,000. The Board of Education has agreed to

lease $400,000 worth of technology equipment with the first payment not coming

until the following fiscal year. The council is also expected to fund an

additional $125,000 for HVAC at Newtown High School in the town's capital

non-recurring account.

School officials say the cut still amounts to $800,000 since the school system

will have to pay for the technology lease year after year.

Debbie Hoffman of 60 Elm Drive agreed, saying the leasing plan only puts off

the inevitable. She believes having to pay later on could backfire in the

town's face, especially if the need arises for the construction of a new

elementary school.

"I'm concerned about cutting now and paying for it later," she said. "I would

rather put in money now for technology and pay for the teaching positions,

too."

Cutting the Other $275,000

Last week, the Board of Education began the difficult task of cutting the

$275,000 from its proposed budget.

The easy cuts were $30,000 in oil costs and $7,000 in supplies and material at

one elementary school. But, according to Board of Education chairman Amy Dent,

the school board decided not to hire two new regular middle school teachers,

and a handful of part-time positions. A new part-time custodial position at

Middle Gate School was also cut.

The two teaching positions (seventh and eighth grade) will have to be added in

down the line, Mrs McClure said.

"I'm not sure any of those seventh and eighth grade parents realize what's

happening," Mrs McClure said.