Valley Independent Sentinel

Gridlock On Shelton School Budget

by Joanne M. Pelton | Mar 18, 2010 10:45 pm

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Posted to: Shelton, Shelton Budget

The Board of Apportionment and Taxation was deadlocked Wednesday over the passage of the Board of Education’s proposed $66.5 million budget.

Because the board could not decide on the budget, Mayor Mark Lauretti’s recommended education budget of $61.5 million will now go to the Board of Aldermen for consideration. The Aldermen have until May 13 to approve both the government and education budgets.

If the aldermen were to approve a $61.5 million budget for education, the “worst case scenario,’’ would cause the Board of Education to layoff some 150 employees “across the board’’ and possibly curtail sports and band programs, said Tim Walsh, Board of Education chairman.

“That is the worst case scenario because we still have time to convince the Board of Aldermen to allocate more money before they decide on the budgets,’’ said Walsh, who urged taxpayers to contact the Aldermen with their thoughts on the budget.

Mark Holden, chairman of the Board of Apportionment and Taxation, said Thursday that the board was deadlocked 3-3 Wednesday night because several members thought it would be unfair to increase taxes during such a “trying” economy.

“We’re trying to look out for the taxpayer. These are trying times. People are losing their jobs and homes in record numbers. A lot of people are hurting right now,’’ said Holden.

“Residents just can’t afford an increase in their taxes and here we have 57.9 percent of our school staff making $80,000 and up a year,’’ he said.

Board of Education member Winn Oppel said that he believes the city will have to close down a school if more money is not allocated to the Board of Education by the Aldermen.

“We’re hoping the Aldermen will be reasonable when they look at the budget. If not we’ll have to cut programs like sports and maybe close a school,’’ said Oppel, who mentioned the possibility of closing either the Long Hill or Mohegan elementary schools.

Lauretti said he thinks there could be some layoffs in the schools, “but not the magnitude they’re talking about,’’ he said of the Board of Education predictions.

Lauretti said on average, staff in the schools recently received a 5.6 percent raise.

“It’s not about the kids anymore, it’s all about pay increases for people.’’

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