Don’t Let The Finance Bd Redefine Education In Newtown

(The following letter to the Legislative Council has been received for publication.)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the LC:

The recent action by the Board of Finance proposing the Board of Education cut its budget by $2.5 million while requesting a $288,000 cut from the town budget raises three concerns for me as your constituent.

1. The town has a contingency fund that offers financial support should increases in cost or unforeseen events impact their established funds. The Board of Education does not.

2. The Board of Finance stated “$1.5 million of the reduction to the school’s proposed increase would come from what finance board member Joseph Kearney called ‘commodities.’ Those ‘commodities’ included approximately $600,000 to $700,000 in anticipated savings over the amount the district budgeted for health insurance costs; almost a quarter million dollars in utility and fuel savings; $400,000 over what the district budgeted for 2010 excess cost grants; and about $116,000 representing a reduction in an unemployment compensation line item.” (Source: Newtown Bee)

a. Using terms such as “if” and “anticipated savings” in a period of economic instability, in my opinion, means the Board of Education budget that directly involves the quality of education our children receive is based on the hope of a best case economic scenario.

b. Three areas, health insurance and unemployment compensation have the potential to increase the budgetary line should the reality of the economy not support the best case scenario:

i. Health insurance costs for the town offer better coverage with employees paying 10 percent and the town paying 90 percent. Board of Education health insurance offers less in the way of coverage, with employees paying 18 percent and the Board of Education covering the remaining 82 percent cost.

ii. Unemployment compensation will increase if staff is cut

iii. Fuel prices are unpredictable

3. According to the Town Charter, the role of the Board of Finance is advisory. You, the members of the Legislative Council, are the decisionmaking body elected by district and empowered to legislate focusing on district as well as town needs. The Board of Finance, by design, is advisory focusing on the bottom line: offering the best financial strategy they can design to support the needs of the community as presented by elected boards and committees.

The town side of the budget offers tangible evidence such as plowed or paved roads provides the public with immediate evidence that their tax dollars are at work. Education of children is an intangible with cumulative societal benefits that are not often evident until adulthood, and the effects of dramatic budget cuts will be cumulative.

Ladies and gentlemen, in my opinion, the cuts presented to you by the Board of Finance do not reflect an avenue to support the needs of the Board of Education, but serve to redefine the educational program our children receive, and that is not their role.

I ask you, as my representatives, to vote against the Board of Finance’s decision regarding the Board of Education budget and reestablish the roles of each elective board as defined by our charter.

Thank you for your dedication to our district and our community.

Respectfully,

Karen Carey Pierce

10 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                      March 17, 2010