2015 Board of Education Budget Comments

For the 2015 budget, the Board of Education needs to support and direct the Superintendent to come in with budget at the Minimum Budget Requirement allowed by the State of Connecticut.

A level services budget as stated in the BOE Public Hearing Notice is not acceptable or sustainable.

With student enrollment decreasing EVERY YEAR and trending downward, there is no fiscally sound reason for another yearly increase to the BOE budget.

Outside revenue sources as well as the tax base have been decreasing for years and every year raising taxes is used as the way out. This year the Town and the Board of Education need to offset the loss of revenue with decreases in spending, NOT another yearly tax increase. Yearly tax increases are NOT sustainable and the taxpayers cannot afford it. The conversation should focus on what we can afford, not maintaining the status quo.

In 2001 there were 5844 students in Groton and in 2014 there were 4755. There are 1,089 less students in Groton in 2014 than in 2001. Enrollment numbers are trending DOWNWARD and have been for years. The BOE should be focusing on these facts in their 2014/2015 budget conversations AND reduce spending accordingly.

The Town Council and RTM have never enforced the State of Connecticut allowable minimum budget requirement reduction of $3,000 per student when enrollment numbers decrease. Which means the Board of Education has more money than it needs year after year in order to maintain the status quo of the highest paid teachers, administrators and central office staff in southeastern Connecticut, as well as add programs, additional staff and administrators?

For 2015 the Board of Education must produce a budget that controls spending at a level that matches the needs and enrollment of our changing economic climate and that is a budget at the minimum budget requirement allowed by the State of Connecticut.

The November 2013 referendums provided proof that the voters do not support lavish capital improvement projects and tax increases.

In Groton we need to have the education for our children and the town services we can afford. Along with a Board of Education and Town Government that is transparent in ALL actions.

Additionally, for those of you who are not familiar, GATE, Groton Advocates for Tax Efficiency, which is a bi-partisan political action committee, was formed to advocate for the alternative perspective to tax and spend and for transparency in Groton government. Please note the following:

1.The voters of Groton proved last November by a margin of 3 to 1 that they do not support the Groton culture of tax and spend supported by Board of Education, Town Council and RTM elected politicians from both parties.

AND

2.Regarding transparency, the Residents of Groton are especially concerned with transparency on the Board of Education considering the recent history of the BOE and the Kadri situation. This concern is magnified by the fact that there are Kadri supporters still on the BOE