Residents debate New London's proposed budget
New London — The city budget is inching closer to passage and some school advocates are beginning to get nervous.
Several residents spoke out Tuesday against the recent City Council vote to adopt the mayor’s proposed budget — a $92.8 million spending plan with school funding that falls $2.6 million short of the $45.5 million requested by the Board of Education.
Electric Boat employee Megan Boben, who has a child at Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School, said she was warned by several friends about moving to New London because of the quality of the schools. The warnings, she said, were unwarranted and “New London has not disappointed us.”
“But it is disappointing to hear about the budget cut,” Boben said. “I feel like New London and its school system is finally starting to put things together and make it attractive to families with young kids. I feel like we’re finally starting to overcome that stigma and by not fully supporting our school system, it’s just going to perpetuate the image that we have of this city of not supporting our kids and not giving them a proper education.”
That sentiment was echoed by several other speakers at a public meeting Monday of the city’s Appropriating Board, composed of members of the City Council and Finance Board. The group intentionally listened but did not respond to comments. About 30 people attended the hearing, held at the STEM Magnet High School.
Support for the schools was balanced by criticisms leveled against the school board’s proposed increase, along with the perennial complaints about administration expenses and a lack of transparency in the school budget.
Tim Ryan said the city needs to pursue a regional plan for shared services and eliminate redundant departments being funded in the city and school district: two information technology departments and two finance departments.
He said he was glad to see little appetite for the school board's initial request, “especially considering the out-of-control administrative costs,” which he said are 50 percent higher than any other district in the region.
“This to the detriment of our classroom instruction spending — teachers, paras, classroom supplies — the only area that adds direct value to our children,” Ryan said.
School board members argue that the reduction proposed by the City Council will lead to across-the-board cuts to staff, supplies and programming at the schools. The school board approved a $69.9 million budget, which is a 4.5 percent increase over the current school budget and would require an additional $3 million from the city’s general fund.
In its first of three readings, the City Council last week approved $49.86 million in general government spending and $42.93 million for education. The proposal is a 3.16 percent increase in spending overall, which would raise taxes by about $43 a year for property assessed at $100,000. Funding on the government side would lead to staff layoffs in several departments.
The budget proposal next heads to the Finance Board. A meeting has yet to be scheduled. City Council President Anthony Nolan said remarks from residents would be considered during the ongoing budget deliberations.
Editor's note: Megan Boben was misidentified in an earlier version of this story.
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