NEWPORT — The $21 million proposed school budget did not receive much support at a public hearing Thursday evening.
Several residents said the estimated tax increase — $2.95 per $1,000 of assessed valuation — is simply too much for most taxpayers and urged the board to eliminate the $1.2 million increase in the amount to be raised by taxes so there is no increase in the school tax rate.
“I hope you will adjust these numbers, because obviously this is dead on arrival,” Bert Spaulding Sr. said. “You got a million more from the state and you still want a million and two.”
The budget represents an increase of $1.62 million, or 8.3%, from the current school year and would require just over $8 million to be raised in taxes. Last year, the school tax rate increased a little more than $2 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
The School Board and administration also came under criticism for a pending deficit for the current school year that is expected to exceed $400,000.
“It is tough to ask for more money when we don’t even know where last year’s went,” said Newport resident Ben Nelson, a Sullivan County commissioner.
Resident Seth Wilner, a member of the budget advisory committee whose wife is on the School Board, began his remarks with high praise for the teachers, singling out several who were in the audience, and also thanked the board for taking on a difficult task. But he said the district’s finances continue to be mismanaged and until they are straightened out he won’t support the increase in spending. (The district’s current business administrator has only been at the job since October.)
“I am not going to pay for these mistakes,” said Wilner, who questioned the accuracy of some budget numbers. “I can’t support a budget that raises taxes $2.95 because I don’t know if it is actually necessary. We are probably going to have to pay more to cover the deficit.”
Wilner said he hopes for zero increase in the tax rate and said that if the board does not cut the $1.2 million, the deliberative session on Feb. 1 probably will.
Selectboard member Todd Fratzel made similar statements about “inflated expenditures” and also called for a level-funded tax rate.
“I don’t think you even know what it cost to run the district,” Fratzel said.
Resident Lisa Ferrigno, a teacher and co-president of the teachers union, had a different opinion and worried that cuts would hurt the progress the district has made.
“I am so discouraged and angry,” Ferrigno said. “We are finally making progress because we have the support. To make cuts and go backwards is disheartening. Move forward, get a handle on the budget and educate our kids the way they deserve.”
The next opportunity for residents to weigh in on the budget and on other warrant articles is at the deliberative session at 9 a.m. Feb. 1 at the high school. The annual school district vote is March 10.
Among the budget increases are $402,000 more for paraprofessional salaries, $300,000 more in private special education tuition and $133,000 more in teacher salaries, which is the second year of a three-year contract approved last year.
The default budget is $20.4 million and would be implemented if the proposed budget is defeated.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
Correction
Newport voters at the deliberat ive session on Feb. 1 will discuss a proposed $21 million Newport school budget for the 2020-21 school year. An earlier version of this story misstated the size of the proposed spending plan.
