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Minutes of the special meeting of the Legislative Council held on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 in the meeting room of the C. H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, Newtown CT. Chairman Rodgers called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PRESENT: W. Rodgers, T. Holian, D. Amaral (7:45), J. Borst, D. Brown, J. Capeci, J. DiCandido, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna (8:00), K. Jacobs, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola (8:00). ALSO PRESENT: First Selectman H. Rosenthal, Financial Director, B. Spragg, approximately thirty-five members of public, one member of press.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. Dr. Evan Pitkoff, Superintendent of Schools, said that the Legislative Council is in a very tough position. He believes that extra cuts at this point will make a very difficult situation and will have a negative impact on the school system and he doesn’t believe the Council wants the schools to be adversely affected.
Paul Ludanyi, 40 Old Bethel Road, feels that family budgets are very tight; this is significant and the town budget should reflect this. He recommends cutting $3 million or 3% of the whole budget.
Sarah Beier, 7 Yogananda Street, said that if you make a reduction please make it a reduction that will pass this time. She hopes that the Boards of Selectmen and Education will not make cuts that will impact the kids and look at equipment or items that can be put off another year.
Mr. Rodgers commented that the Legislative Council does not have line item authorization with the Board of Education budget and does not often exercise line item authorization with the Board of Selectmen’s budget.
Barbara Snyder, Walnut Tree Hill Road, said taxes have been rising. She would like the senior citizens to continue to live here. We need to increase revenues.
Sue Zimmerman, 20 Pine Tree Hill Road, said do not cut more from the education budget than the town budget. We need a fourth grade teacher at Middle Gate to avoid large classrooms. Cut more from the town budget.
Tisha McCloy, 5 Old Purdy Station Road, is a teacher in Newtown. She buys things for her classroom that the budget does not allow, such as pencils. She said there is no more money to cut.
Elaine McClure, 32 Ashford Lane, is Chairman of the Board of Education. She said there are two culprits for the rise in taxes: the state has cut funding and growth in Newtown. Oil has gone up and we need $53,000 more for oil. Please do not cut anything that we cannot come back from. We cannot be cut $500,000 and not cut programs. We had an internal control study, not an audit as was reported in The Bee.
Mike Snyder, 8 Megan Circle, requested that the Council not go too deep into the Selectmen’s budget. Cuts there cut the roads. A school bus accident as a result of bad roads could result in a lawsuit.
Paul Mangiafico, 15 Kent Road, spoke as a member of the Board of Ed and as a taxpayer. He said the town seems to be split down the middle as to what is acceptable and what is not. He did not agree with the statistically insignificant comment. Please vote so that the impact on the school system will have the least effect.
Bob Merola, 22 Ashford Lane, talked to a number of people who are confused about the budget.. He asked for clarity so everyone can understand.
Discussion and possible action on the budget.
Mr. Amaral moved to reduce the budget by $1,180,000 by reducing the Board of Education budget by $990,000 and the Board of Selectmen budget by $190,000. Second by Mr. Holian. Mr. Amaral explained that people on fixed incomes have difficulty with taxes. The town needs to get value from the school system. Mr. Jacobs said it is outrageous that teachers have to buy supplies themselves and he wanted to amend the motion to reduce the budget by $100,000. Mr. Rodgers said that a minor modification can change the motion and this should be a separate motion. Mrs. Llodra said that a cut this deep is not responsible. Mr. Rosenthal said this would be a 3.8% increase in taxes and a 5.3% increase in spending. Mr. Borst said this emphasizes the need for a strategic plan. He cannot support this much of a cut. Mr. Iassogna said that
half a million has been cut from the Board of Education’s original budget. He cannot support a $1 million cut. Mr. Pennarola feels it is the job of the Legislative Council to propose a budget that meets the needs of the town rather than proposing a budget that will pass. He will vote no on this much of a cut. Mr. Capeci feels this proposal is disproportionate to the Board of Ed.
Motion failed by roll call vote. YES (W. Rodgers, D. Amaral). NO (T. Holian, J. Borst, D. Brown, J. Capeci, J. DiCandido, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, K. Jacobs, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola).
Mr. Jacobs moved to reduce the budget by $100,000. Second by Mr. Borst. Mr. Jacobs said that people he spoke to said the cuts already were too much. We cannot determine that a no vote means to cut more. Mr. DiCandido said that the voting patterns in towns where the vote is split a note vote means there should be a cut. Mr. Rosenthal said that historically if there has been a larger no vote on the second referendum, a $100,000 cut would be an insult to the process. Mrs. Llodra feels we must realize that the budget failed and that $100,000 is irresponsible. We must find a balance point.
Motion failed by roll call vote. YES (K. Jacobs). NO (T. Holian, D. Amaral, J. Borst, D. Brown, J. Capeci, J. DiCandido, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola, W. Rodgers).
Mr. DiCandido moved to reduce the budget by $700,000 by reducing the Board of Education budget by $490,000 and the Board of Selectmen budget by $210,000. Second by Mr. Holian. Mr. Spragg reported that this reduces the mill rate by .2 mills down to 27.3 mills. Mrs. Llodra would like the reduction to be $300,000 or 1/10 of a mill, with the same proportion as the last Legislative Council action. Mr. Iassogna said that our buildings are overcrowded. One problem also is negotiated raises that are a fixed costs. Building maintenance spending has gone down. This would represent a 1% increase in spending and a 3% increase in students. Mr. Rodgers said this cut is too low. The trend is a growing no vote. Moody’s looks at the budget process. Mr. Holian agrees with Mr. Rodgers.
Motion failed by roll call vote. YES (D. Amaral, J. Capeci, J. DiCandido). NO (W. Rodgers, T. Holian, J. Borst, D. Brown, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, K. Jacobs, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola).
Mr. Rodgers called a five minute recess at 8:40 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 8:45 p.m.
Mr. Brown moved to reduce the budget by $885,000 by reducing the Board of Education budget by $620,000 and the Board of Selectmen budget by $265,000. Second by Mr. Holian. Mr. Brown said that the second referendum was a gauge checker verifying the first referendum. He feels that a 3/10 of a mill cut will get the attention of the voters. Mr. Holian said this might resonate with the voters by reducing the budget by twice what we voted before. Mrs. Llodra said that these numbers represent programs and she does not support this.
Mr. Capeci moved to amend the motion by $100,000 which would reduce the budget by $785,000 and reduce the Board of Education budget by $550,000 and the Board of Selectmen budget by $235,000. Second by Mr. Holian. Mr. Rosenthal reminded that we may be off by $240,000 because we expected to receive $280,000 in energy assistance grant money but we are only receiving $42,000.
Amendment failed by roll call vote. YES (J. Capeci) NO (W. Rodgers, T. Holian, D. Amaral, J. Borst, D. Brown, J. DiCandido, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, K. Jacobs, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola.)
Main motion to reduce the budget by $885,000 failed by roll call vote. YES (D. Amaral, D. Brown, J. DiCandido, T. Holian, W. Rodgers). NO (J. Borst, J. Capeci, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, K. Jacobs, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola).
Mrs. Llodra moved to reduce the budget by $295,000 by reducing the Board of Education budget by $207,000 and the Board of Selectmen budget by $88,000. Second by Mr. Borst. Mrs. Llodra explained that this would be a 1/10 of a mill reduction as in the last Council reduction. Mr. Rodgers felt that this would be a slap in the face to the voters. Mr. DiCandido echoes Mr. Rodgers. Mr. Jacobs said if only the children could vote as this affects everyone in town.
Motion failed by roll call vote. YES (J. Borst, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, K. Jacobs, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola). NO (D. Amaral, D. Brown, J. Capeci, J. DiCandido, T. Holian, W. Rodgers).
Mr. Pennarola moved to reduce the budget by $590,000 by reducing the Board of Education budget by $414,000 and the Board of Selectmen budget by $176,000. Second by Mrs. Doyle. Mr. Pennarola feels that this cut of 2/10 of a mill is a sufficiently meaningful cut.
Mr. Jacobs moved to amend the motion by splitting the $590,000 reduction 50/50 between the Boards of Education and Selectmen. Second by Mr. Borst. Mr. DiCandido said that more people support the school system that are using it and it affects these people when the road services are cut. This would be splitting the town. Mr. Iassogna said that all benefit from the school system at some point. He said that the Board of Selectmen have money to return most years and the Board of Education has no room. Mr. Rosenthal said that the message seems to be to spend every dime or be punished. He said that in 2003 the Board of Ed had $300,000 left over but paid off a pension liability rather than returning the money to the town.
Amendment failed by roll call vote. YES (J. Borst, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, K. Jacobs,). NO (D. Amaral, D. Brown, J. Capeci, J. DiCandido, T. Holian, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola, W. Rodgers).
Main motion to reduce the budget by $590,000 by reducing the Board of Education budget by $414,000 and the Board of Selectmen budget by $176,000 passed by roll call vote. YES (T. Holian, D. Amaral, J. Borst, D. Brown, J. Capeci, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola). NO (J. DiCandido, K. Jacobs, W. Rodgers).
ADJOURNMENT. The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Ann M. Mazur, Clerk
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