I missed the meeting, but got there as it adjourned. I didn't get a copy of the budget, but was told the following:
dollar increase - $3,003,000
% increase - 5.6%
teacher increase - 7.5
Some thoughts... 5.6% will come down. I wonder if we could go for a 0% tax increase this year? We do have a record surplus this year. I think it's up near $3,000,000 with the $82,000 conveyance tax windfall (Cheshire Herald, by Leslie Hutchison) that was reported today.
We've also got the "$400,000 Milone cut" to the health insurance. lol. And I was told that Greg Florio included his two teachers for Dodd which are seemingly fast becoming an annual budget cut. There's another $150,000 increase for technology. Ok, ok... all kidding aside... this is the beginning. Anyone have any opening salvos?
Aside from the budget, I was lucky to catch Bob Behrer for a couple minutes after the meeting. Since it was only a few people (unlike the meeting two days ago), I gave him my sales pitch on biodiesel. I think he's sold. Although, even before he got elected to the BOE, he was onboard. Or I should say, we had talked and he was seriously considering it then. Anyway, I told him the latest scoop on cost... the next DOT bid (which the town piggybacks) should be closer to a $0.01/gallon premium (the buses use 100,000 gallons).
Tim White
Town Council, Budget Committee
update: anonymous said there's not only a request for 7.5 new teachers, but an enrollment decrease of 57 students. I'm curious to hear the explanation on that.
Waterbury Rep-Am, by Lauresha Xhihani
copying and pasting from another post...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
The BOE also had a meeting 1-4 and the Superintendent presented his proposed budget. In a nut shell here's what they want -
Proposed 07-08 budget $56,753,230 which is a 5.59% increase over 06-07. Total $ increase $3,003,988.
Enrollment is projected to decrease by 57 students. Superintendent is requesting 7 1/2 teaching positions (2 elementary teachers, 2 at Dodd, 1 CHS reading teacher, 2.5 gym teachers) and 1 administrator position (curriculum area of math, science & tech.) As usual hardly any members of the public attended and only 2 TC members came.
Next meeting is Jan. 11 at Highland 7:30 pm
11:04 PM
Because there is a bubble coming through starting at 1st grade next year there will be a need for two new teachers.
ReplyDeleteThe important information that came out was that Cheshire's per student spending was ranked about 130 of 160 towns. We are getting a great deal here.
Angry white men, thats who we are
ReplyDeleteWe are frustrated with life
we like going to the bar
We fuss and we wine
We love Rush really fine
But we cant't get elected to the General Assembly because we complain about binding arbitration all the time
anon 8:40...that per pupil spending number has little bearing on anything...I believe there's several factors that effect the end result number and could move you either up or down as the Superintendent said (ie:w/Madison).
ReplyDeleteThe superintendent is quoted in the Waterbury paper today as saying, " I am not telling you that if these things are not included we will be a failing school system, but I do think they are important."
As far as ECS money goes the superintendent said that Cheshire gets more than many other towns in the same DRG (not ERG) since we have the prison here and about 2000 low income families. He is not expecting any great increase, if any at all, with ECS funds.
To try to further explain the 7.5 teachers -
2 at elementary: as there is that "small" bubble of students coming in to 1st.
2 at Dodd - for 7th grade..Dodd's enrollment is going up 21.
1 at CHS - a reading teacher to help students that continue to struggle w/reading. (It's a sorryful situation that there's so many high school students struggling w/reading - what happened back in the early grades with these students??
2.5 gym teachers at elementary level - supposedly to increase physical activity but he more importantly wants them so the library staff w/have some time freed up to deal with library issues. (Why not extend recess a little bit and save the staffing funds?)
The superintendent also wants to start a "Chinese Pilot Program" at CHS and is looking for outside funds to do it.(although when funds are no longer available does that mean an increase in staff & benefit expense?)
Enrollment recap for 07-08:
Elementary - down 51 students
Dodd - up 21 students
CHS - down 26 students
Hope this helps clarify things.
Happy white men we are
ReplyDeleteWith elephants we spar
We won anti war
But talk up other stuff more
Bush is an idiot
But if you read to the end of this sentence, you will know that I am too because I write runon sentences in the middle of a rhyme.
Happy white men we are
ReplyDeleteWith elephants we spar
We won anti war
But talk up other stuff more
Bush is an idiot
But if you read to the end of this sentence, you will know that I am too because I write runon sentences in the middle of a rhyme.
So facts mean nothting-When we compare how much we spend vs other towns to give the citizens a look at whether we are actually overspending (which is always the refrain at this time of year) and we find out we are not the naysayers have a response of -oh that does not matter,
ReplyDeleteGive us one small break-it is being managed well and it is not overspending.
I think Florio is doing a good job managing resources and would oppose a meat axe cut to his budget but perhaps the reason Cheshire has a cost-effective school system is those awful "angry white men" actually force the educational system to account for their expenditures.
ReplyDeletedo our polyglot pollyannas suggest a blank check is in order? It seems to work so well in our larger cities
you mean those same angry white men who gave us the zero budget. That is not smart that is vindictive and that is why they sit in the minority and will stay there or be sent home in 07. The Democrats know how to balance the budget and have been doing a great job-record surplus as well as a great new bond rating. Good schools are a way of enhancing our property values-point not be forgotten=we are well mangaged and if the school systems got a major boost this year it would not be out of order.
ReplyDeleteI love the logical fallacy: X is not good, therefore the best solution is the anti-X.
ReplyDeleteSo therefore if a zero increase is too stingy, we should write a blank check
And of course, bigotry is wrong, unless we are bigoted against white men
Paging Mr. Orwell///
So the dems think they're responsible for the large surplus and good bond rating??....lol
ReplyDeleteIt's the prior councils that are responsible.
Not that the anti is better It is that a more thoughtful and responsible response comes from the Democrats. No blank check just reasonable budgets that a majority of the citizens can support.
ReplyDeletepolyglot means speaking many languages for all those watching at home=home this relates to this discussion no one really knows
ReplyDeleteanon 6:19 A more thoughtful and reasonable response by the democrats?? It seems it's the dems using totally uncalled for name calling (ie "angry white men" as seen throughout postings on this blog)...is that what you call thoughtful and reasonable? I call it childish and idiotic. So much for the dem council trying to work cooperatively with the reps on the tc.
ReplyDeleteanon 8:28 So you think the numbers mean a lot and we're not overspending with our per pupil costs?
ReplyDeleteHere's an interesting article I read in part from a local paper today: "Connecticut rewards its "educators" by making them the highest paid in the nation, by reducing class sizes and by increasing appropriations; only three other states spend more per pupil. According to the latest "Report Card of American Education" by the American Legislative Exchange Council (www.alec.org) CT's 8th graders rank 19th in the nation in math competency and 23rd in reading proficiency while its high school students are 32nd in SAT scores. ALEC dispells the belief a correlation exists "between pupil-to-teacher ratios, spending per pupil and teacher salaries vs educational achievement.It documented how despite "substantial increases in resources being spent on primary and secondary education over the past two decades-per pupil expenditures have increased by 77.4 percent (adj for inflation)& student performance has improved only slightly- 71% of American 8th graders are still performing below proficiency in math. CT's real dollar spending increase over that period was 87.5 percent....Until society commits to fundamental changes in the way education is administered, funded and delivered, taxpayers should resist throwing more good money after bad.
I keep hearing year after to year that everyone moves to Cheshire because of its excellent school system. If its excellent as these people say, why do they need another 3 million dollars?
ReplyDeleteTim, I think you should takes bits from each of the bloggers comments on the BOE budget 07/08 as shown in all these posts and write a letter to the editor in the Herald summarizing the posts. Be sure to write both sides (for & against) and especially be sure to include the obvious democrats who posted remarks referring to the "angry white men". I think the public deserves to hear it all.
ReplyDeleteI am a Republican who thinks big cuts in the school budget are unwise. But demonizing fiscal conservatives is a great way to get deficit spending.
ReplyDeleteBTW I told Schrumm the linear park extension was a stone dead loser. Perhaps he learned something
The person who writes angry white man comments who knows who they are. But they don't represent the Dem councilors as I see them.
ReplyDeleteBeing an unaff. voter I call em as i see em.
anon. 9:25 am - supposed unafiliated - who says the "angry white men" comments are from democrats on the council?..seems it's you - oops, I think you blew it!
ReplyDeleteWe are white angry and old
ReplyDeleteWe think we are really bold
Unions are the enemy
We look like Brian Denehey
And we are on our way out
There is no doubt
Now go home
If the angry white men are so sensative that they can't take it maybe they should stay home and lock the doors and hide underthe covers. Hey diaper boys-get tough-you are going to need it over the next 4 years.
ReplyDeleteMen White and angry
ReplyDeleteWe cry because we lost the last election
We look back not forward
and have no plan
We will be watching from the sidelines for the next 4 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10:20 & 10:22 - one in the same, I'm sure. It's really getting old and annoying having your stupid remarks on Tim's blog. Guess you can't reasonably discuss the issues.
ReplyDeleteAnd it seems really out of order for a dem tc'er to be posting such trashy comments. You don't see a bunch of comments posted about the dems, like those "tax & spenders", do you?
Get a life.
The only money cut from the school budget that affects the quality of education are funds specific to instructional supplies and curriculum. Salaries, maint and medical benefits have no affect on the quality or lack of instruction the kids get.
ReplyDeleteAdding a reading teacher at the high school is an example of how nuts the system has gotten. Fix the problem in elementary levels. How did a kid who cannot read get to high school? Was he passed from grade to grade to meet some internal criteria?
we are old and gray
ReplyDeletewe have nothing to say
we are like elephanants
old and gray
we have nothing to say