Failed New London budget vote sends school district back to the drawing board
New London — The school district is deciding what to do next after voters rejected the $40.4 million education budget on Tuesday.
“School administration and the Board of Education want to work closely with the City Council and the mayor’s office to come up with mutually acceptable options for the coming year,” Superintendent of Schools Nicholas A. Fischer said Wednesday in a statement.
Voters rejected the $82 million 2013-14 budget approved by the City Council in May.
With a turnout of about 10 percent of registered voters, all three questions on the ballot were defeated by margins of at least 250 votes. The first, on the city government portion, failed 849 to 589; the second, on the education portion, failed 843 to 593. The last question, on the tax rate of 27.50 mills — a proposed 3.8 percent, 0.9-mill, increase — was rejected 859 to 572.
Board of Education President Margaret Curtin said Wednesday that she was disappointed in the outcome of the referendum.
“I promise that the administration and the board will work closely with the City Council to come up with a budget acceptable to all as long as it does not hurt the educational needs of our students,” Curtin said in the statement.
i.larraneta@theday.com
Stories that may interest you
Area dean's list
The following local students have made the dean’s/president’s list at their respective schools.

Churches celebrate Epiphany with bonfire
The official end of the Christmas season was noted in Preston on Jan. 6 when parishioners from Saint James Episcopal Church and sister church Grace Episcopal in Yantic, gathered on the Saint James grounds for a ceremonial bonfire to honor the Epiphany.

Catching snowflakes in Stonington
Preschoolers were trying to catch snowflakes on their tongue Wednesday at the Stonington Community Center, known as the COMO.
Yale New Haven Health announces vaccination sites
Sites are opening Thursday in New London and Old Saybrook and next Wednesday at Mitchell College in New London.
READER COMMENTS