Politics & Government

School Board to Wait After Referendum to Alter Pay-to-Play

Most board members stated that they will wait to discuss changing athletics fees until the budget passes.

The school board came to a consensus at Wednesday's meeting to wait on possibly changing until voters pass a municipal budget.

Most board members stated that it would make more sense to reexamine the proposed pay-to-play fees after Tolland voters approve a budget and determine the school district's funding amount. Currently, fees are proposed to rise to $325 for varsity and JV sports and $225 for middle school sports. 

Tolland resident Beth Whitman said that parents were told at a Tuesday meeting with Superintendent William Guzman and several board members that the board would provide a new, lower number Wednesday night.

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"We came to an agreement at the end of the meeting that we would be getting a number this evening that we could work with," she said.

Guzman told Tolland Patch that it was agreed for the board to discuss pay-to-play rates at Wednesday's meeting. 

Find out what's happening in Tollandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Vice-Chairperson Robert Pagoni said that after the referendum passed, the school board would do its best to reduce the athletic fees as low as it could.

"This is a double tax," Pagoni said. "Parents pay for it because the school district can't."

Currently, there is no proposed cap for families with multiple students or those who play in more than one sport. 

The budget referendum is . 


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