The Next $30 Million

Capital Budget Surprise

To the Editor:

I invite each member of the Board of Education, particularly the chair, to consider this letter a rebuke.

I have been a resident for 15-plus years. While voting today, I felt great anger that the $40 million size of the capital authorization requested for the high school expansion (at least to me) appeared to have been withheld from the town officials until very late in the budget calendar, preventing a full and thorough vetting by our town officials — they just had to accept what the Board of Education gave them because of limited time. This delay may or may not have been intentional. As a result the budget process has been contentious and bitter.

What is next? I perceive that within in the next five years, we will be asked for an additional $30-plus million capital authorization for another school, most likely the middle school, which is in very poor condition. And what other Board of Education physical plant items will need additional capital expenditures — buildings, boilers, HVAC, roofs, etc?

As a courtesy to the voters and town officials, annually the Board of Education owes the town at least an “estimated” list of probable capital expenditure needs, organized by budget year and projecting for at least five years into the future. No, it does not have to be highly detailed and completely exact — estimating is the idea — forewarning the town and voters of what to expect the Board of Education may ask for capital authorization in the coming years.

Thoughts from others invited!

R. Taylor

11 Leopard Drive, Sandy Hook                                      April 22, 2008