An effort by hundreds of Seymour residents to get the Board of Education budget presented to voters with more money has failed.
The Board of Finance Thursday voted to send the $50.69 million budget proposal to voters at a budget referendum on April 26.
The proposal includes $29.8 million for schools — a $722,000 increase from the current school budget, but less than the $1.2 million school officials had requested.
But about 450 residents who signed a petition over the past few weeks wanted the Board of Finance to push forward a $30.2 million school budget proposal, as presented by the Board of Education back in January.
Finance Board chairman Robert Koskelowski said Thursday that the town has adequately funded schools in the past. And while the 2011 – 2012 proposed level of funding might not be ideal, it’s a tough economy in which all town departments are making sacrifices.
Finance board members Kristen Harmeling and Nicole Klarides-Ditria voted against the measure.
Harmeling had helped parents gather the 450 signatures for the petition and said not listening to their viewpoint “is to ignore democracy.”
“I’m not sure what they wanted from the petition,” Harmeling said after the meeting. “Would 1,200 signatures have made a difference?”
Hamerling said she would still vote yes for the school budget come April 26 because if it fails, the schools may lose more money.
Parent Cindy Dion, who presented the petition to the Board of Finance Thursday, walked out of the meeting as the board made its decision.
Before she left, Dion told the finance board members they are dividing the town.
“This town is divided right down the middle,” Dion said. “And it is these people sitting up here that are doing it.”
The budget proposal calls for a 1 mill tax rate increase, which translates to about $200 more in taxes on a home assessed at $200,000.
The budget referendum will take place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on April 26 at the Seymour Community Center on Pine Street.
