OUTRAGEOUS! Why are we expected to live within our means (which "means" keep declining as the government takes more and more of what we make) and the government is NOT. There should be NO increase in the budget what so ever. AT what point will it be accepted that there is NO MORE MONEY! Stop Spending. Full Day kindergarten GREAT but then something else needs to go - we do the same at home PRIORITIZE - if something is that important then something else is less important and can be eliminated. How does the board justify laying off owner operators (putting many local bread earners out of a job) to save money and then vote in an increase in the overall budget - not saying it was right or wrong regarding the owner operators - just something to think about. Surely there are things that can be cut or reduced - do your job and manage the budget. As a parent it is harder to say no then yes, but so much more important to say No - say NO INCREASE. AND YES I have children in the school system and they can live without some of the things the schools provide in order to have a zero increase and/or full day kindergarten. I submit that everyone needs to look around at their neighbors, the elderly, those less fortunate, those unemployed and struggling to keep their homes and ask themselves - is there something we can give up in our schools and town services so that these people do not have to pay more in taxes? I ask our board members to really think about it.

I shall await the details, but you raise a really important point.

We are going to save all these beaucoup bucks by going with All-Scar and still the budget is $2,200,000 more than last year???

Points to Ponder

perhaps the BEE will have details out later today

Dee Dee: You have identified the essential problem with government. The budget should have about $500,000 in savings just from changing the bus system. Where are those savings? We should also require fewer buses, since we have fewer students, further increasing the savings. We are spending more to educate fewer students. As enrollment was increasing we were told that all costs were variable. This is a direct quote from the business director. I have had many conversations with the business director indicating that this could not possibly be true and it would create havoc when enrollment started to decline. So here we again have government trying to have it both ways. Now that enrollment is declining where are the variable costs? 200 fewer students should mean that according to Ron's formula we should be able to reduce costs by about $2,000,000. We should also have savings from lower fuel costs from declining prices for natural gas and electricity as well as the bus system. All total that amounts to more then the increase proposed. So is there any truth in the budget? If this is essentially the same services budget but we have lower transportation costs, lower fuel costs and fewer students we should be flat or down shouldn't we? We have been provided the reasons for increases where is the other side of the ledger?

There are no savings with the bus change. It was the mission to get rid of the o/o's and spend a tremendous amount of money for FDK. This is ridiculous in this economic time. You need to prioritize and do what is really needed first.
.

They are liars, plain and simple. This happens over and over in Newtown.

I still await the transparency...and FULL DISCLOSURE

1. Entirety of all legal and all consultants’ fees and costs as related to the transportation negotiations...ALL of these costs both prior to and during.

2. All costs and fees paid to and billed by Baldwin Media and/or CABE, as it pertains to the hiring of said public relations firm…what did we pay for and what did we get or not get for the money.

3. A full accounting of expenditures from the various accounts totaling $750,000 (I refer to them as the Superintendent’s Slush Fund)…the various accounts whereupon money is and can be spent without anyone’s knowledge and in the case of Baldwin Media, BoE knowledge or approval…what was spent for what and when?

4. The administrator posse went off to China and collected their “paychecks” too; totaling $21,000 ± while on this nice “International Jaunt.”
Shouldn’t they have reported what was gained and learned???

The budget package does include about half a million dollars worth of savings in transportation (attributed to All-Star contract) and $155K in reduced electricity costs, however with the $1.5 million in contracted salary increases, estimated $270,000 increase in employee benefits and $200K increase in fuel oil and car gas, that savings is easily gobbled up. Even without all-day kindergarten and any additional services, the district was estimating its budget to increase by 2.2%. That also included the elimination of a first-grade teacher at Middle Gate School due to declining enrollment.

Hoa, why don't you ask my 4 questions...they don't answer me...I guess I'm too much of a "milk toast"...not assertive enough!!!

Dee Dee expressed my sentiments perfectly. When my personal household has recovered economically from the mess that banks got us in is when I will vote for an increase in the budget.

I have not worked f/t since 2009 when I was laid off. Since then, I've scrambled for work where I could find it: freelance work, odd jobs, contract work, the Census Bureau, etc. Now I'm working 2 jobs at a fraction of what I used to make and would work a 3rd if I could find it. I do not have the luxury of a spouse with a second income and yes, I have a mortgage. I have never had a child n the Newtown school system and yet I pay these exorbitant taxes year after year. I love Newtown and want to stay.

Ironically, I will have my mortgage paid off in about a year after many years of frugal living and prepayments, but I will still have serous $ issues even without the mortgage becus it's expensive to live in Newtown (property taxes).

So please, educators, don't ask me for extra dollars for your budget. My pockets are empty and f/t Kindergarten is a luxury better considered in a good year.

Sam, Eric and Doug,and Dee Dee,
Were you at the meeting last night? Just curious because I am pretty new at this but not new to numbers and as far as something else needing to "go" to make room are you all aware that Newtown ranks 145 (ish) out of 165 districts for spend per student. I was shocked to learn this - I thought this town was all about Education. A further decline in our Education system will only promote further decline in our home values - why would someone want to pay a premium to live here when the school stink? Something needs to go? Cut it in your household budget and pay your taxes or move out so that someone who prioritizes our children can move in!!

It is about the waste Bethany...look what Wilton does with its money
FDK has not been vetted from the perspective of education for the kid...the nice speeches do not show ANY curriculum...perhaps they will hire a couple more administrators and consultants (ask them how many consultants are aboard the Robinson Express)

or maybe just toss it together like the Chineese music class at RIS

Don't you dare think I'm not for the education of the kids for one blessed minute!!! Just because it is on paper or a nice website DOES NOT MEAN IT IS HAPPENING

I speak as a resident, taxpayer and educator

It makes me very sad to see all these "fill in the bubble" tests replacing learning and REAL education

not looking for any fights...YES, I CARE

Peace-

Another way to save money for next year, go back to 4 tiers. Separate the HS and MS run and you will be able to cut buses. Next year would be the time to this since the district is planning on moving Hawley to the same tier with the 3 other elementary schools and all the routes have to be done from scratch b/c buses will no longer be housed at Owner/Operators homes. This will not incur any overtime b/c the All-Star contract is for 6.5 hours. The O/O contract is for 6.25 hours, the same as when we ran 4 tiers prior to September 2003.

??"FDK has not been vetted from the perspective of education for the kid...the nice speeches do not show ANY curriculum.., please help me understand what you mean when you say this....
FDK has been shown in a mountain of studies to improve the learning skills of our children- to put it simply. Again, I am new to this discussion so please tell me what you mean that they haven't shown a "Curriculum" the curriculum -as I understand it, in the proposed FDK, will be to teach what they are trying to teach now in accordance with the state's standards and to be able to teach it in a consistent manner and the appropriate pace for the children. Right now the teachers are forced to leave things out of lessons, speed through others, shut down discussion, and promote incomplete work. (These kids are actually being told it is not only ok to partially complete something it is Necessary.)

And yes, I have heard that the benefit of FDK seems to be lost, or evened out by third grade but as I listened to what else we are not doing for our kids I couldn't help but wonder if that gap narrows (between those with FDK and those with 1/2 day)

because we don't have the time to push those who could be doing more because our focus (given we don't again have time) is to rescue those who are at risk. Plus those coming from FDK currently have a little catch up to do in 1st because they are unaccustomed to the routine of the public school classroom.
I learned last night that Bethel has FDK ! Wow

no, I'm talked out, no sales pitch against FDK...just please plan it and do it properly

the waste issue remains...lots of waste...lots not being used for the purpose of educating children

Monica -" Since when does spending (ie wasting) money mean you care about the children?? What needs to go is all the admin interference and the "lets look good on paper" attitude"

I am all for finding the "waste" and cutting it -- Please tell me where you see it and lets all work together to fight for the priority of educating our children.

One spend that seemed wasteful to me was 50K on Ipads. I'm all for cutting that.

Please, implore you who think there is waste to take the time - read the budget and identify the "waste" and lets post it, bullet by bullet. Illuminate this for the public.

With the exception of Sam, (and I am not sure the spends mentioned are in the new budget or if those are things we wish we did differently last year) all I see from those who are opposed are vague references to "WASTE".

Waste to have 25K of PS for Special Ed?
Wast to have 70K of development costs so the teachers can be trained to teach in accordance with the state standards?

What would you cut?

I don't know why everyone is getting mad at the board...get mad at the teachers' union who have mandated these contracted increases in the teacher's salaries/benefits every year...which represents about 82% of budget increase. And if you don't like what's going on, go to the meetings or contact the board.

Bethany, I may be an exception, but I don't think there is a lot of waste in the system. But I do take exception to a very expensive new program we are now adding. FDK sounds good, it's popular, "everyone's doing it", and yet the research is pretty unequivocal - investments made in FDK have a positive effect until 3rd grade, when everything evens out. If I told you I had a great investment for you - give me $300,000 and I will make it disappear with no value after three years, would you continue to give me $300,000 a year? Education is about quality, not quantity (and quality doesn't equal tenure either - we have some outstanding teachers who are new, and some horrible ones with tenure that we can't seem to fire - but that's a different problem). I would at least like to hear our administration discuss why we are going to break the mold and make FDK worthwhile. They haven't. It's frustrating. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2006/RAND_MG558.pdf

The school board budget DOUBLES in 23 years at this rate. So, when you are retired, living on a fixed income, with no children using public school services, the school board portion of your taxes will have doubled. That should be fun

Think about it. Are you better off financially this year? Most people would say "No". Yet the BOS and BOE want MORE money from you. They (and all government entities) operate from the perspective, and have conditioned you to believe and accept, that budgets ONLY increase and they are somehow wonderful stewards of YOUR money by asking for only a "Small" budget INCREASE during this period of financial contraction. Well, budgets CAN contract and they SHOULD contract. Fight back.

HELLO!!!!.. its the teacher UNIONS!!! They wanted over $1.7MM in increases in both benefits and salary increases!!! THE BOARD HANDS ARE TIED!!! It's in the contract!!!

Where the BOE has no discretion they obviously cannot cut. Where they DO have discretion they ought to cut to compensate.
And run out of town on a rail the next BOE that approves such a union contract.
End the paradigm that budgets only go UP!

Paul.. "BY LAW" CT schools cannot have a negative budget. By "STATE LAW" it can only be zero or up... Where is the school system going to come up with nearly $2MM in cuts to come up with the salary increases for the teachers? Specifics please...
They tried to cut music, but the board would have to let go the Choir teacher only because she didn't have the seniority, even though she was VERY GOOD.. why? BECAUSE THE UNIONS demand "first in, first out" regardless of merit! So, try and get rid of 10 teachers making $100K to get an extra million in savings? Think again, you have to axe 20 teachers making $50K to get $1M because they have the least amount of seniority! Remember, first in… first out.. the teachers making the higher salaries keep their jobs.
Have the BOE not approve the next union contract.. and the teachers STRIKE!!!! I'm sure that would go over well with the town....

Don’t complain about the BOE.. look at where the problem really sits!

Ah... I see...governance by Union extortion. That won't end well.
Every challenge has a solution with the right (BOE) leadership.
First you must reject the status quo.

"Right BOE leadership"... glad to see your going to run for the office Paul..

Tom,
To your comment,

"FDK sounds good, it's popular, "everyone's doing it", and yet the research is pretty unequivocal - investments made in FDK have a positive effect until 3rd grade, when everything evens out."

Your are correct about the gains made - it was noted last night that a neighboring community reported their November K assessments showed the children at May levels!!
You are also correct, it was noted that some school districts have seen so called diminishing returns. And the reason has also been documented.

This result occurs when the programs from 1st to 3rd grade are not adjusted to align with the gains made by FDK. Liken it to giving your child proper nutrition up until kindergarten then giving them some lesser amount of nutrients and expecting that what you gave them 2 years ago will somehow sustain them. This would be disastrous. And we should be sure that grades 1-3 are also "fortified".

Of course we could just not give the child the proper nutrition to begin with and then we wouldn't see the fade out - they'd start of weak and just stay that way.

Bethany, I agree 99%. A few years ago, advocacy groups said FDK=good, and many pointed to the upcoming ECLS-K study to prove it long-term. The ECLS-K study proved the opposite. Now advocacy groups are saying "1st-3rd programs need to improve to ensure FDK gains." Sounds like a circular argument, notably without evidence, but let's go with it. I want to believe that an FDK program can work if it is high-quality, and if 1st-3rd grade assume it is there and build on it (not "same-old"). My concern is that all the talk has been "fund FDK because it's good and others have it", and I haven't heard "and this is how we design it and fundamentally change 1-3 to take advantage of it", etc. Or will requests for 1-3 funding come to us next year? And nothing wrong with coming up with some follow-up - is there anything we can measure before and after to see how we did? I'm sure there is, and it would make me happy as the source of funding to know that my money was being used to good effect. That's the kind of feedback that taxpayers should expect. For example, not a horrible idea for the BOE to say "let's put FDK in place, and we re-evaluate the results once a year" or "give it three years and then we look at the results." Bottom line, we all want what's best for Newtown's kids. Let's make sure every $1 is spent in the most effective way, because there is limited $$.

I want what is best for MY KIDS too. Unfortunately, I can't always afford it - especially when my federal, state, sales and property taxes increase faster than my income. So my kids do without! Perhaps what is best for our kids is for all of them to learn to do without after all the prediction is that this generation will be the first to NOT be better off than their parents. Either we can cut waste and afford full day kindergarten or we do not have enough waste to cut and then we do without full day kindergarten. The budget should have no increase what so ever. I spoke with a small business owner who for years was frustrated with his employees not understanding the cost of government on businesses. For the past few years he quit withholding taxes and instead pays his employees in full and then they must write checks back to him for the withholdings - amazingly they are all infuriated now at how much they have to give back in medicare, social security, federal taxes, state taxes..... Could you imagine if everyone in the U.S. had to do this? No escrows on mortgages and instead everyone writes the checks, no with holdings and everyone writes the checks - HMM

This is all about redistribution of income, from Newtown taxpayers to the teachers union.

Does anyone know what the proposed 3% increase will translate to for homeowners? I'm not sure if it is too simple to say -- Edu up 3% = Taxes up 3%? If that's the case then a 10,000 tax bill goes up $300.00 to pay for FDK and Sp Ed Services and keep all the other services in place.
Also, there were some proposed cuts on the table to offset costs but after hearing the public (and mostly the awesome students) that spoke at the meeting those cuts were rejected. In my opinion, and after hearing the students, I think that was the right decision.

Again, I am still trying to understand fully where the waste is - beyond the iPads, and the things Sam mentioned which I am not sure are still in the budget.

There was a short version handed out at the last meeting. Stop by the town hall and get a copy and you can see all the stuff that was proposed but didn't make it.

Here are a just few from memory (which isn't as good as it used to be) please, go and get the list it is very clear and easy to read.

HS Asst. Princ
RIS Phys Ed Teach
HS Math Teacher
District Math Science Inst. Leader
Gymnastic Coach - we have none
Track Coach - we have 2 for 120 athletes
HS World Language Teacher

I hope we can keep talking about this so that we can all be certain that we know the facts before making a decision on voting day.

My short list of WASTE is listed above...it has nothing to do with what is presented in the BoE budget for students..nothing to do with classes and/or programs per se.

Let the teachers teach and the children learn....BUT>> the administration needs to do THEIR job and not hire others to do it for them...Add in all those pieces and I scream "Holy Batman Janet"...a FOI formal complaint will be forthcoming without the disclosure of all these hidden, concealed and unnessary costs are not given transparency and FULL DISCLOSURE. Then I suppose Janet will get all her attorneys together in an attempt to explain the unexplainable and defend that which cannot be defended.

attention Palace People...I'm not going away on this one...SHOW US THE MONEY TRAIL

I need to add one more to my list...what is te total number of consultants and the cost...ones hired to do what Janet Robinson, Linda Gejda, and Michael Regan for which already get paid darn close to $500,000 per year

if all you guys would actually do something instead of just complaining on a message board then something might change, I went to FDK so did my wife, I don't think I really want it for my kids next year but whatever, you don't want it? then look into private school, you can't afford it? then make a life change, and raise your kids stop thinking public school should do it for you, stop feeling so entitled, these are the people" we "collectively put in charge like it or not, don't like it? then do something and stop complaining I can't even come to this website anymore because of all the complaining and that a shame because Hoa does a great job.

YPR,
I couldn't agree more that we need to act. But we need more information so that we can be sure that our actions are in line with our interests. This board has helped me to educate myself - even the inaccurate information from some of the more "assertive" folks has been a help because it has forced me to look into the complaints. I really hope you will reconsider and not throw out the proverbial baby with the bath water. Every voice is important.

Sam I am glad to see you this am!!! I want to learn more about these hidden costs/spends!! How do we do that?

The gala dinner with the Chinese is Wed. Feb 8th in the HS cafetorium at 5:00pm. It is pot-luck so just bring a dish.

I think many of us are too busy working 2 jobs to afford these increases to do anything other than blog..... and neither of these jobs in the private sector afford anywhere near the pay increases proposed in these recent proposals... Why? businesses need to be fiscally responsible...

Behold! The Obama Bull Market Continues Unabated. But why does it do so, we wonder?

News Flash: Dateline - Feb. 1, 2012: AMR, the parent of American Airlines, plans to lay off 13,000 people and end its defined pension plans. The company is asking all groups within the airline, including management, to cut 20% from costs.

Ask yourself: Is Obama acting like AMR in his managment of the Federal government? Is Malloy acting like AMR in their management of the state budget? Are the BOE and BOS in Newtown, CT acting like AMR in their management of the local education and town budgets?

Anyone? Bueller?

Vote down EVERY budget until these parasites come back with a 0.0 budget increase. If you approve ANY budget increase in this environment then when times get better your gonna get double digit increase requests to make up for the "lean" budget increase years. Hammer them NOW while you have some leverage.

Every year our taxes go up, up and up. Salaries are not going up and staying the same. We have children in Newtown schools and we want the best for them and every other child in Newtown. But they need to prioritize and spend money on what is really needed. With our economy the way it is I think 3.07% is to much at this time.

Force the Superintendent to make the cuts to get to 0.0 and then shift the blame for the carnage to where it belongs, grossly overcompensated, unionized school district employees; bloated boondoogle programs and a Superintendent and complicit BOE who allowed that all to happen in the first place. Has this BOE ever heard of a "rainy day"? Well, it's pouring.

That hold dept. needs to be revaluated with yearly progress reports, because there customer service is disturbing!

Hoa,

Please ban "yoda" from this site. HIs comment below violates the Newtown Patch Policy.

Newtown Patch's policy.
• is defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane or offensive;
• is threatening, harassing or that promotes racism, bigotry, hatred or physical harm of any kind against any group or individual;
• is inaccurate, false or misleading in any way;
• contains “masked” profanity (e.g., F@&#)

"yoda
7:22 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012

Hey,
Sorry Sam I was asked to cook for the Chinese visitors, I think i'll make tacos, can't met you at the fort."

This comment is directly related to the East Haven Mayor's "taco" comment and it is offensive, inappropriate and it promotes racism!

Po,

You are nothing but a trouble maker, you LOST MOVE ON!!

Yoda,

It is time for you to stop hiding! At least Sam was man enough to come out. You are nothihg but a coward hiding behind the veil of anonymity spreading venom. It is time for Hoa to ban you from this site.

I may cancel my cable! no need for late night TV anymore now that Po is all fired up. this is better than Seinfeld..."This comment is directly related to the East Haven Mayor's "taco" comment and it is offensive, inappropriate and it promotes racism!" well that may be true but he is still mayor so it cant be that bad

Po Murray:

You claim the importance of diverse thinking in this new "global world"...You seek the residents of Newtown to embrace other cultures. Do you really think your actions promote this??? Read the below recipe. How do you know, Yoda, a green being of the globe was not serious. You, me, all are capable of making false assumptions and comments that may be off at times. I acknowledged such...You have NEVER...time to do a bit of soul searching. You might have assumed Yoda to have made an untoward statement...The recipe below cancels that thought

CHINESE TACOS

http://chinese.food.com/recipe/chinese-chicken-lettuce-wraps-or-chinese-tacos-41003

perhaps the BOE should add a line item..."Patch mediator for BOE related threads"... Im sure thats a 6 figure position in their world...