Lamont extends olive branch

Ed plan asks districts to pitch in more toward retirements

HARTFORD — Gov. Ned Lamont told the General Assembly his budget plan — which encourages school district regionalization, asks municipalities to pick up more teacher retirement costs and honors state aid levels promised last year — prioritizes education.

Those listening to the freshman governor’s first fiscal address on Wednesday had mixed reactions.

“I think it is a good starting point,” said state Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, listening to how the plan affects urban areas like his. “I am glad to hear he is willing to work collaboratively with the Legislature.”

State Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, on the other hand, called Lamont’s overall plan inconsistent and fraught with ways to get wealthier communities to pay more.

“He says he doesn’t want to hurt municipal aid, but that is not accurate,” Klarides said. “If towns and cities have to pay more for teacher retirement, where are they going to get it from? They are likely to raise property taxes.”

Beyond restructuring teacher pensions and shifting some of the burden to municipalities, the budget plan announced Wednesday by Lamont would increase the state’s Education Cost Sharing formula by $17.7 million in the first year of the biennium and $39.4 million in the second year.

At first glance it appears the plan sticks to the script drawn up by the Legislature last year. In the case of Bridgeport, for instance, Stafstrom said the state’s $182.4 million contribution to the Bridgeport Public Schools bottom line would increase to $184.7 million in the first year of the budget and to $187.3 million in year two.

Also seeing increases of varying degrees would be Ansonia, Danbury, Derby, Fairfield, New Haven, Seymour, Shelton, Stamford and Stratford.

The distribution could change

based on a formula that shifts the definition of poor children and pays closer attention to student enrollment than in years past.

“While some towns that are losing student population will receive a little less, other towns with growing populations and more kids in need will see more investment,” Lamont said.

And while honoring the formula, Melissa McCaw, Lamont’s budget director, said there will be a proposal to accelerate the phasedown in education grants to wealthier communities.

Perhaps offsetting that, some municipalities would be allowed to relax minimum budget requirements — its share of school funding costs — when enrollment drops, schools close or state aid for education declines.

Municipalities in poorer districts, such as Bridgeport, would continue to provide as much funding one year as they did the last.

“I just don’t know. I have to look at it,” Fran Rabinowitz, a former Bridgeport Schools superintendent and now executive director of the Connecticut Association of School Superintendents, said of whether the changes will help or hurt struggling urban school districts like Bridgeport.

Lamont told the General Assembly the overall budget gives the state its best shot at growing again. He wants to establish a commission on shared services for school districts, accelerate processes for sharing school superintendents and invest in special education services aimed at reducing local costs.

That is an idea being pushed by Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, who after Lamont’s presentation said he wanted to see more details.

Rabinowitz said encouraging regionalization through shared services is already happening. There are 28 one-school districts in the state that either share superintendents or hire them on a part-time basis.

Skyrocketing special education costs are a major issue in most school districts. The state’s contribution to the cost has not kept pace.

Lamont’s plan would also pull back on school construction funding, focusing on plans that would contribute to workforce development and encourage regional buy-in.

It remains immediately unclear what the change would do for plans for a new Bassick High School in Bridgeport.

Stafstrom, who has been pushing for a new Bassick that focuses on advanced manufacturing instruction, said the project seems to fit Lamont’s bill.

“It’s on the school priority list and in my mind the project fits the criteria the governor is looking for,” Stafstrom said.

The debt diet would seem to impact construction at the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut State College and University systems. Otherwise, higher ed — which under the Malloy administration experienced cuts year after year — appears to be held harmless in Lamont’s plan.

CSCU President Mark Ojakian called the plan “thoughtful” and one that takes important steps toward fiscal stability.

“I appreciate that, even in tough budgetary conditions, the governor is committed to strengthening and improving our system of higher education.” Ojakian said.

That said, he added, level funding plus support for fringe benefit increases still leaves his system with a $57 million shortfall in the coming year.

Lamont’s budget plan would maintain $262,500 to aid in minority teacher recruitment efforts and $320,000 for the state’s office of higher education to assist minority students in pursing careers in education by providing loan forgiveness.

Lamont would also broaden certification reciprocity with other states, making it easier for teachers from other areas to relocate to Connecticut.

Contributions to teacher pensions, which Lamont called a priority, will depend somewhat on how much districts pay their teachers.

“Many of our school districts have chosen to pay their teachers much more than the state median,” Lamont said. “It’s a great investment for their community. But it’s an investment that impacts the state’s overall pension cost.”

Districts that would be expected to pay more include Greenwich, where teacher salaries are 30 percent above the state median. The median teacher salary is about $78,000, according to the governor’s office.

In all, more than 80 municipalities are on the list as paying above the median. Other local districts whose average salaries top that include Redding, Wilton, Weston, Norwalk, New Canaan, Monroe, Westport, Stamford, Darien, Trumbull, Easton, Shelton, Fairfield, Stratford, Seymour, Newtown, Danbury and Milford.

Teachers unions say they were pleased to see Lamont focus on strengthening the teacher pension fund in his budget proposal.

“This is a good step toward the state of Connecticut keeping its promise to retired teachers,” said Ed Messina, president of the Association of Retired Teachers of Connecticut.

The American Federation of Teachers also seemed pleased.

“The governor’s plan to stabilize the state’s retirement fund for teachers appears to adopt the structural changes we’ve long advocated for,” said AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel.