Westport Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon, saying past reductions to his requested budgets have “impacted negatively” the education environment, today asked the Board of Education to approve a 2.79 percent budget increase in 2011-12.
In a budget message posted on the school website – and to be formally presented to his board tonight – Landon said “for the past two budget cycles, the Board of Education has received limited appropriations from the Town of Westport, far less than was requested to maintain our educational services at levels designed to maintain the status quo or to scale new heights.”
As a result, he said, the schools have had to eliminate and restructure personnel services as well as cut back on non-personnel categories throughout the budget.
“These major reductions to staff, supplies, equipment and services did not occur without consequences, both subtle and more obvious, all of which have impacted negatively upon the educational environment created for the children attending our schools,” Landon said.
He said his proposed budget of $98.76 million—with a requested $2.68 million increase—does no more than “maintain our educational programs at their current levels.”
The Board of Finance will meet Wednesday and is expected to give guidance to the Board of Education and town on its expectations for the 2011-12 budget year.
In addition, the Board of Education will hold an all-day public budget workshop session on Friday at the Westport Public Library.
Just one person’s opinion but I would sign off on the budget request if Landon agreed to a salary freeze for himself and top administrators. The teachers and office staff are the backbone to the school system and their entitlements should remain.
We have all had to restructure and make sacrifices. I don’t think it’s too much for him to do the same.