Are you getting your money’s worth?
Take cover. Here they come. The comments and letters, that is. The event prompting so much acrimony is the budget of course. What else could quickly bring out the best—and worst—in people?
Many of the letter writers and commenters that I’ve seen and heard urge Newtown voters to reject the budget being put before them. Most cite the slow economic recovery as the primary reason and go on to point out that this is no time to be raising taxes.
The majority of the members of the legislative council probably agree but they narrowly decided to let the voters decide for themselves.
This is all well and good and pretty much “as usual” for this time of year in Newtown. The barbs and criticism fly back and forth depending on whose side you’re on but soon enough a budget is ultimately approved—albeit sometimes after 3 or 4 tries.
While all of this may be the norm around here, there is one thing I hear a lot that is somewhat out of the ordinary. In previous years the board of education has always had rising enrollment partly to blame for its requested increases. However, that is not the case this year. As many council members and private citizens are quick to point out, enrollment is on the decline and this trend is expected to hold for the foreseeable future. Why, then, does the board of education’s budget continue to go up?
I’ve thought about this myself and it seems like a logical question, doesn’t it? The problem is—it isn’t.
The fact is the only way slowly declining enrollment can result in a significant reduction in the bottom line of a budget is if all those students who would otherwise be here were be at the same grade level and in the same school. Were that the case, then you could logically expect a concomitant decline in faculty salary. It would be one less teacher you would need.
Another question I’ve frequently heard and read is why should teachers receive a pay increase without evidence of significant advances in student achievement?
The folks who are constantly throwing this into the mix simply don’t get it. Public education is not like building cars or furniture or computers or anything else. Nor is it wholly within a given teacher’s power to increase student achievement. The students themselves—and their families—have a responsibility as well. If they’re not holding up their end of the arrangement, what’s a teacher supposed to do? Isn’t it appropriate to have a system of compensation that attracts and, once here, retains a highly qualified staff?
I’m focusing on teachers here because an analysis of the board of education budget will quickly show that the bulk of the expense is for salaries for certified faculty so contracted pay increases are the primary reasons for budget increases.
The fact is the board of education really has no choice but to remain competitive in the area of teachers’ salaries and enrollment has to decline quite a bit more for the difference to be felt.
I’m sure the nay-sayers on the legislative counsel get this but there are always going to be those who delight in playing the role of the spoiler regardless of how silly their arguments are.
Is it too much to hope that the budget offered us this year passes the first time around? Probably, but whatever your position may be, get out there the 24th and VOTE! It’s your right. It’s your duty.
Don’t vote? Don’t complain!