Community Corner

School Supporters Out in Force to See Funding Restored to 2013-14 Budget

Only 18 people spoke at the Southington Town Council's annual budget hearing Monday, but most were in favor of restoring the $1.1 million cut and over 50 others showed support in clapping and cheering for those making the request.

Southington resident Bill Lutz came to the podium at DePaolo Middle School Monday, looked down just for a moment and then presented the town council with a bottle of water containing about four ounces. That, he said, was what the amount of gas residents could buy each week with the savings in taxes that the proposed Board of Finance budget presented.

“What would this gasoline do for me?” he asked the council. “It would allow me to go to my car, start it, back out of the driveway, drive around block and back into garage. That’s what funding will cost, a trip around the block.”

“I understand that people hurting, but in cutting education and not having resources to improve student achievement, it would do far more damage than not taking that ride around the block.”

Lutz, one of 18 to speak at a public hearing on the town’s annual budget Monday, drew applause and cheers from more than 50 people there in support of restoring the $1.1 million that was cut from a $2.9 million increase presented to the Board of Finance earlier this year. And he wasn’t alone in requesting funds be restored either.

A dozen educators, parents and school staff members spoke in favor of having funding restored and with tough economic conditions in Connecticut, the council will have tough decisions to make when they deliberate on the budget on May 13.

Board of Finance Chairman John Leary spoke before the council Monday, saying it was not without countless hours of work that members of the board settled on $84.2 million for the Board of Education in the upcoming fiscal year. The proposal, although short of the school board’s request, represents a 2.2 percent increase in spending while also offering a budget that when paired with the town would reduce the mill rate by one tenth a percentage point, or approximately $4 per year for the average taxpayer in the community.

“We were charged to assure taxpayer money is spent in a manner that provides the most effectiveness and efficiency,” Leary said. “For each item, we determined if spending were to change, that a reduction is in best interest of the taxpayers. We took a vote and that vote was six in favor and zero opposed.”

But with $1.1 million in reductions, proposed programs such as all-day kindergarten - a topic that dominated Monday's discussion - and technology upgrades would likely become targets to be cut, leaving the district in a difficult position to compete with surrounding towns and help prepare students for the future, both Board of Education Chairman Brian Goralski and School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr. said.

Lutz was the first to speak in favor of the restoration, saying that the town ranks 10th out of 24 towns in its demographic resource group in affluence, yet is 20th in spending. Furthermore, the town is $1,200 behind the average in per pupil spending, he said.

Gloria Brown, wife of Southington Education Association president Bob Brown, said she supports the having funds restored, even as an over 65, retired resident.

“Please listen to majority talking to you tonight and not give in to vocal minority that believe the opinions of teachers, parents and neighbors don’t count,” she said. “Some of us realize that in the public sector you get what you pay for, that’s true everywhere. Please consider restoring funds cuts.”

Not everyone was in favor of restoring funds, however, as five residents got up and spoke in opposition to the requested measure.

Mike Sudol, who has worked many part-time jobs including as a substitute teacher for Southington schools over the past three years, has struggled to make ends meet and keep his home here in the community. He said taxes remain high and now more than ever, the taxpayers need relief.

“This is the first time in over five years I will have seen a break in taxes,” he said. “All-day kindergarten can wait a few years or be phased in incrementally if necessary. I count my pennies every day to go back and forth to work, to even look for job.”

Other residents including Phil Pomposi and Art Cyr expressed concerns that the Board of Education has continued to make positive gains despite not getting their full request and said the town has shown support in funding various items including an $89.725 million referendum for renovation of the middle schools in March.

Pomposi, a former member of the Board of Finance, added that while the term cut is used, the budget presented by finance board this year does include $1.8 million in new spending and is not truly a cut at all.

“Take the other side of the coin, the seniors and middle class families. We have fire, police, highway department but when comes down to it, how much have others received in town with tax increases we’ve paid?” he asked. “Think about it, there is another side of this town not getting their fair share and they are paying the bills. Believe me, the Board of Education will get along and get along just fine.”

It appears that while there are still deliberations ahead, however, those in favor of seeing funds restored have the support of the three minority members of the council. Six votes will be needed to restore funding.

Christopher Palmieri, minority leader on the Southington Town Council, said he and members of his caucus are concerned that Southington has not done enough to keep up with education needs and noted that although the council does not have control over line item spending for the school board, items such as all-day kindergarten are necessary to stay competitive with surrounding communities.

There are 21 communities in Southington’s demographic reference group within the state that already have all-day kindergarten, he said.

“On behalf of the caucus, John, Dawn and myself, we do support restoring funds in this fiscal year,” Palmieri sad. “In the past ten years, this was already the third lowest request that has been made. I think it’s critical to weigh all opinions heard this evening.”

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