Date: Fri 27-Mar-1998

By STEVE BIGHAM

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

school-budget-council

Full Text:

Council Tries To Pull Consensus Off The Scratch Pad

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Suddenly, the $800,000 cut to the Board of Education's proposed budget doesn't

seem quite so deep.

That's what many members of the Legislative Council believe, as do members of

the Board of Education, though they're not as quick to say so.

Thanks to some clever financing, the net effect of that original cut by the

council should end up being more like $275,000. Monday night, the council's

finance committee authorized the Board of Education to lease $400,000 worth of

equipment, which the town won't have to pay for until much later on. In

effect, this will reduce the impact of the budget reduction by half.

The plan must still receive approval from the entire Legislative Council.

The finance committee further reduced the impact to schools when it agreed to

fund another $125,000 for capital improvements in the town's capital and

non-recurring account. That money will be used to update the HVAC system in

the Newtown High School gymnasium. Once again, the plan must still be approved

by the entire council.

In short, council members say, the plan should make all parties happy. The

school board will get most of what it needs to run its schools, the Board of

Education budget's bottom line will remain at $31,959,812 (7.4 percent

increase over its current budget) and the town's tax rate increase will

remains at a "palatable" 1.1 mills.

"Effectively, the school board is still receiving a 9.1 percent increase,"

explained finance committee member Melissa Pilchard. "I don't think they've

ever had an increase that high."

Board of Education members said they appreciated the finance committee's

efforts to reduce the impact of the council's cuts. Their gratitude wasn't

wholehearted, however.

"In some ways, it's still an $800,000 cut," said Board of Education chairman

Amy Dent. "Next year, certain line item increases are going to seem higher

than they really are."

True, finance committee members said. But is this workable?

"I don't know," Mrs Dent replied.

Council chairman Pierre Rochman said his board was "breaking its backs" to

help the school system out. He expected a more cooperative response.

Council member Brian White, who voted against the council's original $800,000

cut, urged the school board to accept the plan.

"The school board will pick up $400,000 through leasing and another $125,000

through the capital and non-recurring account. I think that's a pretty good

deal for everyone," he said.

Prior to the vote, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal urged the finance committee

to come up with an agreement with the Board of Education since it is the

school supporters who work so hard to get the budget passed at a referendum.

"If there are some things that can be put back without affecting the mill rate

increase, I would try and do them," he said.

That's exactly what the finance committee did, much to the satisfaction of its

chairman, John Kortze, who was hoping to avoid "raising the bar" for next

year's Board of Education budget.

"I think we've got to put the best product forward, and I think we've done

that," he said.

Board of Education vice chairman Susan Hills said it has been difficult to get

people out in support of the budget in recent years because of all the cuts to

the Board of Education proposals.

Mr Rochman wondered how the Board of Education would portray the school budget

to parents.

"Are you going to say `it's an $800,000 cut,' or are you going to say `we're

getting a $2.7 million increase over the current budget'?," he asked.

School board members said the ultimate decision on how the budget is portrayed

usually lies with the PTA.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 27-Mar-1998

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