NL OKs first step in $92.8 million budget process

New London — The City Council on Monday approved its first of three readings of a proposed budget for fiscal year 2018-19, a $92.8 million spending plan that is sure to disappoint the city’s school board.

Aside from some shifting of funds, the council left the mayor’s proposed plan in place with about $2 million less funding than the school board had requested.

As approved, the budget includes $49.86 million in general government spending and $42.93 million for education. The proposal is a 3.16 percent increase in spending overall and provides for a .43-mill hike in the tax rate. Taxes on a property assessed at $100,000 would increase by $43 a year under the plan.

The proposal will act as a baseline for the Finance Board, which is expected to meet within the next two weeks. While Council President Anthony Nolan said there is time for the council to make further adjustments, the figure the Finance Board approves cannot be increased without approval of the Appropriating Committee – a group composed of both the finance board and city council.

Monday’s vote came despite pleas from school board members earlier in the night to boost education funding.

Rich Baez, president of the local teachers’ union and an elementary school teacher, said the district has gone two years without an increase in funding from the city and it was starting to impact students.

“We’re not asking for anything more than what’s fair and equitable,” Baez said. “It doesn’t make sense to keep cutting … not supporting education in the city of New London. We’re to the point we will be losing teachers and we will be losing staff if the budget continues to get cut. We’re just asking for our fair share.”

Interim Superintendent Stephen Tracy noted that the school district was not responsible for any of last year’s 6 percent tax rate increase in the city. In addition to not increasing school funding the city council stripped $500,000 from its own budget for school building maintenance.

“I urge you to be equitable,” Tracy said. “That didn’t happen last year. I don’t think that was fair and I don’t think that should be repeated.”

He also defended the central office staff, comparing them to traffic air controllers, mostly behind the scenes but critical to operations.

Councilors, during debate on the education budget figure, expressed some frustrations about school administration salaries and the councilor’s inability to control what the school board decides to cut when their budget is reduced.

The approved budget contains an increase of $488,000 in taxpayer funding for education, a 2.5 percent increase. The school board, which initially requested an increase of $2.5 million to support its $69.9 million budget.

Councilor John Satti proposed cutting an additional $500,000 from the education budget.

“I think the message needs to be sent loud and clear this council will not stand for the exorbitant salaries,” he said.

Councilor Don Venditto argued that any more cuts could jeopardize “any ability of maintaining a school system that is functioning at a level where its putting out a decent education,” while attracting students from outside the district.

Councilor Martin Olsen said that the city must show some commitment to the evolving magnet school plan.

“We must be aware this is a regional program and we have a responsibility,” Olsen said. The eyes of our neighbors are us as well. I think it’s prudent that we be aware of that.”

The council approved the school budget by a 4-2 vote with Satti and Michael Tranchida opposed.