Town Budget Referendum Set for Tuesday

As town and school officials wrap up their 2011-12 budget presentations, supporters of the budgets ramp up their publicity campaign in hopes of getting the $51.04 million package approved.

, advocates for the $35.14 million school budget are hosting a rally complete with food, entertaining and speakers.

At stake Tuesday is funding for the town government offices and school department for the 2011-12 fiscal year.

During meetings held at the high school and the senior center on April 26 and 27, respectively, town and school officials did their best to explain why they are asking for a 3.49 percent increase, or $1.72 million in total, in funding in the coming year, despite the continuing economic pressures on taxpayers.

During the senior center presentation, when asked why the town and schools were seeking an increase in funding when the federal and state governments are reducing its aid to municipalities, Town Council Chairman Frederick Daniels said it might be time for residents to take the initiative and “protect what they have.”

Superintendent of Schools William D. Guzman told a small group at the senior center that over the previous two years the school district has a 1 percent increase in funding in one year and no additional money in the next. For this reason, the district had to eliminate 22 positions, 15 of which were teachers, increase the fee for students to participate in sports and eliminate educational programming.

While fortunate to receive unanticipated money from the federal government in August 2010 (as did all districts) the Tolland schools are still not as they were. 

And the schools are not poised to receive what was originally requested. Through a series of meetings, the town council ultimately reduced the school budget’s bottom line from the original $36.02 request to the current $35.14 million proposed. Part of that reduction includes a dock of $100,000, which town officials suggested be taken from the teacher’s health care coverage; town officials can only suggest which line items should be reduced in the education budget because by state statute they do not have line item control over school spending.

During the senior center meeting, Town Manager Steven Werbner said he had recommended a greater decrease in school funding by reducing the money allotted for heath care coverage. Daniels said although the council agreed with the concept, the members did not think the school system would get enough teachers to enroll in the health savings account plan and the overall loss of funding would hurt the educational system.

At the school board meeting Wednesday night, Guzman told members that as of that day 29 employees have chosen the HSA package in lieu of the traditional health care plan. Guzman said the district needed at least 17 people to enroll in the new health plan in order for it to meet the $100,000 reduction made to the school budget by town officials.

On the town side, officials are asking for $10.8 million, or an increase of $196,226 (1.85 percent). The increase is attributed to various pay adjustments, the creation of a new assistant public safety supervisor position and $27,000 for the construction fee to tie Hicks Municipal Building into the town’s public sewer system.

For more details on the budget log onto the town’s Web site: www.tolland.org

To calculate the tax rate using the 30.28 mill tax rate that applies to the proposed budget obtain your property assessment either through the town assessor’s office or www.visionappraisal.com and multiple the assessed value (70 percent of the appraised value) by 0.03028.

The budget referendum will be held on Tuesday, May 3. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. District One voters will cast a ballot at the Hicks Memorial Municipal Center in the gymnasium, while District Two voters will cast a ballot at the senior center.