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Cuts Are Expected
In School Budget
By FULVIO CATIVO
Courant Staff Writer
April 4 2007
WEST HARTFORD -- The board of education expects to make several changes to
the proposed $122.1 million school budget tonight before it votes to adopt
the spending plan.
School officials said they will look to postpone some equipment purchases,
find more savings in salaries and contain staffing increases as they look
to trim a budget that many people in town - including elected officials -
have deemed too high.
"We will definitely have several proposals to lower the budget,"
said Jack Darcey, chairman of the board of
education.
Last month, Superintendent David P. Sklarz's
presentation of his proposal was met by immediate calls to cut the spending
increase. The proposed budget would raise the current $113.5 million budget
by 7.59 percent.
On March 20, Sklarz offered the board several
suggestions on where to trim the proposed budget, including cuts in busing
and decreased raises for substitute teachers. The suggested cuts could total
as much as $1.8 million and drop the increase to 6 percent.
Darcey gave few details Tuesday on the budget
reductions the board could approve tonight.
The potential tax increase associated with the town's first property
revaluation since 1999 has forced town officials to look harder at any
proposed spending, Darcey said.
"I think people generally realize that we are struggling with this
budget," Darcey said. "We are working
very hard to contain it."
Last week, the public shared with the board its criticisms of the proposed
budget. Many residents demanded that the board make significant cuts and
criticized increases in line items like administrative salaries and busing
expenses.
The board paid attention to the community's concerns, Darcey
said, but many of the factors driving the budget increases - such as
increases in staff compensation and benefits - are contractually obligated
and can't be reduced.
In his budget presentation last month, Sklarz
said the district would need to increase next year's spending by $5.44
million - or 4.8 percent - just to carry over its current operations into
next year.
Tom Fiorentino, one of two Republicans on the
board, said Tuesday that potential budget cuts totaling millions could be
"significant." He stopped short of endorsing the spending plan.
"I'm hoping I can support this budget," Fiorentino
said.
Contact Fulvio Cativo at
fcativo@courant.com.
Copyright 2007, Hartford Courant
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