David Schrumm's initial 2010/11 budget proposal
Here are the highlights of the initial budget proposal brought forward by the Budget Chairman David Schrumm:
So for clarity, that's a $160,000 reduction (or non-property-tax revenue increase) to the Town budget and an additional $365,000 reduction to the school budget.
There wasn't much comment from Council members attending tonight's meeting when David passed out the proposal. But the TM did suggest that hitting an even mil rate should include budget changes of $554,000, not $525,000. So to address that difference, I jotted down a few notes that move the Council to the TMs suggested budget change. And at the same time that we save money, we could also strengthen our schools and public safety!
Tim White
26 comments:
Hey Tim, Mike Ecke says he has a plan to up the education budget by about $500K. Any idea what that's about it? Or this is just hot air in order to score political points with entrenched organizations? How much of the meeting last night did he spend on his blackberry? :-)
This is ridiculous. There is no reason to keep an even mil rate. The school budget should not be cut any further.
So contrary to what was said last week it seems some councilors minds are made up. Sad.
where does schrumm propose that additional reductions come from? If he doesn't know or care he is irresponsible and foolish. Whose interests is he representing? Not mine or the other parents present last week that's for sure!!
8:10
The Council including Schrumm has to take into consideration more than the expectations of a group that came together at a teacher's union meeting last week.
Last time I looked there are about 18,ooo registered voters in Cheshire. Two hundred hyped up teachers, their union atty. and a few parents don't speak for everyone in this town. Once again the public is expected to believe the entire education system rests on the teachers pay increase. Its shameful that highly educated individuals can accept this old tired tale. Look at the budget...Education is not getting chump change this year and it never has.
Anonymous said...
Hey Tim, Mike Ecke says he has a plan to up the education budget by about $500K.
Sounds like "grand standing" to me.
8:10 Anyone who follows the budget process knows that the TC does not and cannot tell the Boe how to spend the money that the TC gives them. So to suggest that the TC is irresponsible is irresponsible.
And if I'm reading Tim's info correctly, it looks like the Boe budget will be increasing nearly 1 million over the 09/10 budget.
" Whose interests is he representing? Not mine or the other parents present last week that's for sure!!"
Those voices are a few of thousands of voices in Cheshire. Your voice matters but its not the only voice in town. Get over it.
I'm working on my take home midterm for my class, so doubt I'll post tonight. But Ecke prepared (apparently two) alternative budget(s).
One increases the school budget by another $500,000. The other decreases the school budget by $1,292,000... effectively maintaining the 09/10 budget in the 10/11 year... so there's no change. Frankly, it was kinda confusing to me to see him propose two different budgets... though he didn't send it to me. He sent it to the press who then asked me about it.
March 30, 2010 8:10 PM
Just like when the turf issue came up and the athletic teams filled the council chambers to show that there was a lot of support for it, the teachers decided to get the parents excited to take the pressure off of them.
The TC knows that there are many other tax payers in this town besides the small group that showed up at Dodd last week.
I still ask the question, why isn't anyone addressing the low CMT scores at Chapman compared to the other schools in town? If I were a parent there, that would be a bigger concern to me.
March 30, 2010 10:49 PM
While it is not the TC job to tell the BOE what to do, to be responsible they should know what the ramifications of their actions maybe. Not be concerned or interested in that is short sighted.
March 30, 2010 10:49 PM
Your opinion isn't the only voice in town either. Many people can afford the extra 150 or so dollars a year. Its not to much to ask.
March 30, 2010 10:30 PM
Schrumm's grandstanding to his audience too then.
If many people can afford the extra $150 let them write a check to the "Town of Cheshire". Many can't. It's that simple...
$60m is a lot of money for the BOE budget in which the enrollment is declining. Make it work.
What we can afford and what we choose to pay for are two different hings. If I had to give another $150 a year to the Town I would not give it to the education system. I would give it to the fuel and food bank.
There are a lot more parents than you think and town's people who don't want their property values to drop. If the TC passes a budget anything near Schrumm's idiocracy there will be a lot of IRATE people in town. Use some of the rainy day fund to keep the tax increase as low as possible.
The town council works for all the people in Cheshire and the majority of people in town are sick of the unending tax increases imposed on us be the teachers union.
It's time to show the students that a town can stand against a union that doesn't ever try to improve or modernize this archaic system. The union simply demands more and more of our resources and really doesn't care.
The town council works for all the people in Cheshire and the majority of people in town are sick of the unending tax increases imposed on us by the teachers who hide behind a union.
It's time to show the students that a town can stand against a union that doesn't ever try to improve or modernize this archaic system. The union simply demands more and more of our resources and really doesn't care.
It's greed over education.
"It's greed over education."
Perhaps the greed is yours and not the teachers. The teachers do a very important job. If you don't recognize that you need to visit some towns with lower taxes and crummy schools. If you like what you see you are truly deluded.
9:08
Why don't you check out the towns and cities with the crummy schools, they have higher per pupil spending...lower housing values, poor test results, low graduation rates....and all the state aid that can be thrown their way.
Cheshire has involved parents, good teachers and voters that adequately fund the district. Most of us don't want to waste our money either and Cheshire's teacher union is no different than any other teacher's union...they're under orders from on high to make no concessions...pay up or else.
Guess what? Its or else time and Council better not blink.
To concerned parent
There are a lot more households in this town who don't have kids in the school system who will be irate if we continue to get tax increases each year.
Honestly, do you think our property value will go down if we don't give the BOE the additional $1 million they are asking?
Will that mean that the teachers won't work as hard? Tell me how the education are childeren get will be hurt?Tell me how our property values will go down?
If Ecke wants to spend $500,000 more on education he should have thought about that a little more before he joined the band wagon that took $525,000 in our tax dollars from the state to help pay for a fake field.
If he thinks taking money from the fund balance is going to solve the problem, what's he going to do the next couple of budget cycles when the stimulus $ and IDEA $ is gone? How much will he take out of it then?
In a bad economy when most of us are lucky to have a job, have had no raises, or even had to give up some paid days, would you want to drain your savings to pay your expenses? Or would you minimize expenses and make due with what you have? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.
Can somebody publish a summary of both town and BOE personel with salary and benefits? I did a rough count and got around 200 non teaching positions in the BOE. Can somebody publish a summary of both town and BOE personnel with salary and benefits? I did a rough count and got around 200 non teaching positions in the BOE. How come we only hear of teacher layoffs, but none of the 200 or so support staff-including positions like secretary, which has essentially disappeared from the industrial and business sectors. Also, the "keeping up with the Jones'" spending philosophy, coupled with binding arbitration, is inflating an over-rated system that is barely competitive in a global economy. it time to clean house.
When financial times were more "fat", did the BOE or TC ever say, "Things are good, let's give those teachers a bonus." Never heard that. However, year after year we do hear that teachers need to give. How about this: teachers give more as Cheshire teachers pay the highest for insurance than any other town, teachers pay more for copays, teachers offered to look at other insurance options, teachers offered three days in a no interest loan. Share the burden? It seems as though that has been and is being done. So, now just what do you want: blood? Certain elected officials will not be happy unless there are layoffs. On a different note: when taxpayers attend these meetings and speak before either the TC or the BOE, the very least those members could do is have the courtesy and respect to listen, rather than have private conversations or text whomever on phones.
"Will that mean that the teachers won't work as hard? Tell me how the education are childeren get will be hurt?Tell me how our property values will go down?"
I just have to laugh....The education ARE children get??? Apparently, you weren't quite so educated...likely not a product of the fine school system here. And the education OUR children get will be impacted. I know because I am a hard-working teacher here and I will continue to work just as hard as I ever have. I wish private-sector people could spend just one week in my shoes (in case you are wondering, I did work in the private sector for over 15 years before becoming a teacher, so I speak from experience.)
Here's some information direct from the Boe budget regarding what teachers pay for medical benefits (acct 201, pg 1):
Premium Cost Sharing - Point of Service - Teachers pay 16%
Office Visits - Teacher copay $15
Prescription copay rates(depending on plan) $5/$10/$25 or $5/$15/$30
Teachers who are covered on their spouses plan and don't need coverage with the school get paid $1200/year by waiving coverage. This costs us $85,000/year.
The HSA plan is the most cost effective plan but not many teachers participate in it.
The 3 day "no interest" loan is just that - a loan. How many people do you know who had to take furlough days and were going to be paid back at a later date? None.
When everyone goes to the public hearing on April 5th I hope they realize that it's the union that will ultimately determine if and how many teachers may lose their jobs.
So where's the shared sacrafice?
10:32 says - "And the education OUR children get will be impacted. I know because I am a hard-working teacher here and I will continue to work just as hard as I ever have."
It's not a good idea to start a sentence with the word "and." It should read - "The education our children get..."
Also, there should be a comma after the word "here." If you chose not to use the comma it should have read - "..I am a hard working teacher and will continue to work just as hard..."
I hope you're not an English teacher.
10:32
So what happened, you failed in the private sector and decided to become a teacher where you get guaranteed raises no matter how good you are?
In the private sector, we are all evaluated as individuals and get raises based on our personal performance. In eduacation, the group as a whole gets an increase whether you are doing your job or not.
I wonder if you are a teacher at Chapman where the CMT's are lower than any of the other schools in our town.
How do you explain that those teachers will get the same increase as those at Highland? Who is doing the better job?
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