The Education Budget Fairy

To the Editor:

Well, the Education Budget Fairy has apparently found a pot of gold. Deception at budget time... Put the parents in panic mode; all the while the cash is there? Stupidity, plain and simple. They have now set a pattern, whereby next year their budget will get voted down again and again, due to distrust alone. I say “their” budget, but who ultimately knew the funds existed, one person, more? All involved should get their walking papers. Honesty may have indeed avoided the costly referendum(s). Those dishonest actions now guarantee them in the future.

Mr Kortze, member of the finance board, is singing the right tune. “We get all this fire and brimstone, scaring parents every year, and once the budget passes it all disappears,” Mr Kortze added. “I believe there is savings [built in to the existing budget]. The taxpayers were told it didn’t exist, but now it exists.”

Serious congratulations and thanks are certainly due for many years of faithful service to the six retirees, who together have more than 140 years of service to Newtown schools. This includes teachers Buni Kovacs, Karen Mann, Alice Privalsky, Gail Seymour, and Mary Thomas and district social worker DeEtta Breitwieser.

Considering that these folks will be replaced by new hires on a much lower step of the pay scale, it looks like the Education Budget Fairy will be making another pot of gold delivery real soon!

Sam Mihailoff

54 Lakeview Terrace, Sandy Hook                             June 16, 2006