Budget Request: New Teachers at Doolittle School

The tone for the night was set minutes after the Town Council’s public hearing began Tuesday night.

“The town manager’s budget is not a budget we could consider adopting without changes,” announced council Chairman Tim Slocum.

On the heels of Slocum’s announcement, Town Manager Michael Milone provided details to the public on the town’s spending plan. “We realize nobody wants to pay more taxes. Tax increases are very unpopular,” he said

However, Milone stressed that his fiscal year 2012-13 budget aims to maintain services for residents at the lowest possible cost. The requested budget is a 2.09 percent increase over last year’s budget. If it were approved with no reductions, taxes for an average family with a house and two cars would increase by $184.

Superintendent of School Greg Florio also presented the Board of Education’s budget to the public. The $63.2 million request was approved by the Cheshire School Board with no reductions. It must now be approved by the Town Council.

Florio said the request is a 3 percent increase over this year’s budget with the majority of the increased expense — 83 percent — driven by salary and benefits.

Salary increases, Florio said, were kept to a minimum. “We renegotiated contracts very hard, with contracts that were ending,” he said. “We want to point out how efficient we are,” Florio added.

A clear sticking point between the council's Republican majority and the superintendent is his request for three new teachers at Doolittle at a cost of $180,000. Florio said the request was made because enrollment increased when it had been expected to remain flat.

“If Florio thinks there’s a need for teachers, there will be teachers,” Slocum said after the hearing. “He’ll be able to find a way,” he said. “A $180,000 (amount) out of $63 million,” can be found, Slocum said.

The additional $180,000, however, Florio said, is the increase for all certified salaries which includes the three new teachers.

Doolittle parent Melissa Convertito told the council that Cheshire schools are reaching a tipping point, a negative trend. “I have serious concerns about the schools,” she said. Convertito said third grade classes at Doolittle this year have either 24 or 25 students per classroom. “Please support three new teachers," she pleaded.

While neither Slocum nor Budget Committee Chairman David Schrumm would discuss specific cuts to the school budget, it was clear they don’t support the additional teachers.

Schrumm remarked after the hearing that rather than hiring new teachers, the school board should redistrict Doolittle students to Chapman Schools. “It’s an underutilized school,” he said.

Cheshire resident Louis Nero told the council he wants a zero percent increase in the town and school budget. “It’s time to give back to the citizens,” he said.

Budget Committee member Michael Ecke, one of three Democrats on the council, said after a month of meetings, no suggestions have been put forward. “We have no idea what direction we’re going. Not one piece of information has been released.”

Slocum said that’s because the committee is still gathering details from town administrators, so no suggested decreases have been discussed. He did agree that some requests weren’t very feasible. “It will be very difficult to get to a zero percent budget,” Slocum said.

Here is a list of the remaining budget meetings:

2012-2013 OPERATING BUDGET SCHEDULE

• Wednesday, March 28, 6:30 p.m., Room 207‐209
• Tuesday, April 3, 6:30 p.m., Room 207‐209
• Budget Wrap Up Monday, April 9, 6:30 p.m., Room 207‐209
• Council Meeting for Budget Adoption, Tuesday, April 10, 7:30 p.m., Council Chambers