Fifteen people spoke during a public hearing on the proposed Derby budget Monday night, the majority of whom urged the tax board to allocate more money for the school district.
The tax board is considering a $35.5 million budget for the 2011 – 2012 fiscal year.
It includes a proposed school budget of $18.3 million, a 3.6 percent over the current school budget. School district officials had originally requested a 7.25 percent increase.
The budget, if approved by the tax board, would raise the tax rate by 1.07 mills. That would raise the average tax bill by about $171.
City Treasurer Keith McLiverty countered the claim that Derby schools are under-funded by pointing out that the school district gives money back to the city every year. He said some $250,000 has been given to the school district since the 2007 – 2008 school year.
If the school district doesn’t receive enough money, why are district officials giving money back to City Hall, he asked.
“If we give you money for education, spend it,” McLiverty said. “We don’t want it back.”
School Superintendent Stephen Tracy said most of the dollars to which McLiverty referred were handled by previous administrators and previous school boards.
Other speakers quoted an independent report from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, which states Derby’s per pupil spending ranks in the bottom 10 percent in Connecticut.
School board member Kim Kreiger read several portions of the report to the tax board, highlighting the portions that talked about school funding.
She said that due to anticipated budget cuts, administrators at Derby High School want to reduce the amount of credits needed to graduate from 24 to 22.
The school can’t afford to offer the same number of courses they once did, Kreiger said.
Phil Martino, a 69-year-old Derby resident, said school administrators make too much money.
“I get sick when I see those salaries,” he said.
Martino said he is a senior citizen who already paid into the school system when his kids were in it. He said Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri prompted him to go to Monday’s public hearing.
“I paid into the system, I feel I should get a break,” Martino said.
Others in the audience pointed out Derby union workers on the city side of the budget are getting 4 percent raises.
Derby resident Shannon Meseck said no one she knows is getting raises that high. Meanwhile, the value of her home has dropped by $70,000 in just four years.
It’s an indication something is wrong in Derby, she said.
She urged school and City Hall officials to work together to cut costs.
“Somehow, either you guys (the tax board) or the mayor, has to have a discussion with the unions,” she said.
Derby Police Chief Gerald Narowski said his department is also not getting the full amount he requested from the tax board.
That means Derby High School will lose its school resource officer. In addition, the department won’t be able to replace two aging police cars. Any additional reductions would result in layoffs, the chief said.
The tax board is scheduled to meet Tuesday (May 24) at 7 p.m. They’ll most likely vote on a final budget for the city and school district.
The school board is scheduled to meet June 7 to discuss how they’ll deal with the amount of money allocated by the tax board.
