Newtown The Victim Of

Declining State Education Aid

By Steve Bigham

Since 1995, state aid for education per pupil in Newtown has declined 23 percent. At the same time, Newtown’s enrollment increases are among some of the highest in the state. As a result, Newtown’s local spending for education over the past five years has increased by 22.6 percent. And that figure does not even include the $39.9 million spending plan currently being proposed by the Board of Education – a $5 million or 14 percent increase.

The figures, recently released by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM), were discussed briefly at Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

According to the report, 102 Connecticut towns have had decreases in state aid since 1995. While the average per-pupil increase in state aid over that period is 7.2 percent, most of the gains have been concentrated on just a handful of communities.

“It’s just a reality. We would have had millions and million per year more if the state had not changed their regulations for funding,” noted Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed. “The state will tell you that Newtown is lucky that [the state] implemented its ‘hold harmless’ policy, which took a level and said that funding would not fall below it.”

The problem, Dr Reed said, is the over-reliance on the property tax to fund public education. This is especially true in the wealthier towns. In reality, however, the residents of Connecticut would be footing the bill no matter where the money came from.

“If people want the state to play a greater role, then you would have to raise the income tax,” the schools chief said.

Another dilemma, Dr Reed said, is that people’s disposable incomes are not correlated to the value of their homes. That becomes a major issue when it comes time to pay the tax bill.

The shift in the education burden has not gone unnoticed by First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, who also served for several years on the town’s Board of Education.

  “In the past, 24 percent of our local budget for education came from the state. That number is down to 11 percent,” he explained.

 The state Education Enhancement Act pledged significant aid to Connecticut municipalities. However, that money has never reached Newtown. If it had, Mr Rosenthal said, the town would have received an additional $7.5 million in state revenue this year, reducing the tax rate by over four mills.

  “We wouldn’t be asking for the mill rate increases we’re looking for this year if we had the proper educational funding from the state,” Mr Rosenthal said.

The first selectman has suggested that the Board of Selectman, Legislative Council and state legislators write letters to Hartford requesting that state officials do a better job of funding the towns.