Elliott Landon: added no new programs. WN file photoWestport Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon has proposed a 7.3 percent increase for the 2008-09 school budget.
The proposal was sent to the Board of Education on Friday and will be discussed at tonight’s board meeting.
The proposal is a $6.5 million increase over the current budget and would bring the total budget to $95.4 million.
A year ago, Landon proposed a 8.9 percent increase which was cut to 7.8 percent by the time final approval was given by the Representative Town Meeting.
Landon said $1.1 million of the requested $6.5 million increase was for self-insured health and medical insurance. There was also a $750,000 increase requested for technology.
“In preparing this budget, I have made every effort to be responsive to the wishes expressed by the Board of Education, the Board of Finance, and the RTM to be cognizant of the need to limit the percentage of increase associated with my proposed 2009-09 education budget,” Landon wrote in a cover letter
“Working closely with my central office staff and the building principals, I have attempted to address the need for fiscal conservatism by adding no new programs, creating no additional administrative positions, and restraining increases as much as possible.”
Fiscal conservatism? No new programs? No new positions? What are we getting for 6.5 million dollars?
A. Beasley, M.D.
What an amazing way to describe $6.5 million. that would buy about 6 – 5 homes, even in our town!!!
You think this 7.3 percent increase is steep?! Wait until the First Selectmen and the Dem’s put in their high density affordable and work force housing.
How many more children will that bring and what will the cost to the infrastructure be, not to mention the benefits and pensions for the additional teachers, etc.
It’s always easy to spend other people’s money.
To put this in perspective, and conservatively estimating an average ASSESSED value of $1,000,000 per house, it will take the entire tax payments of 473 houses just to cover requested increase. The entire BOE budget would require the entire tax payment of almost 6,950 such houses….
Can we assume Elliot’s annual rubber stamped salary increase is included with that? I would hate for him to have to rough it and brown bag it a few days out of the year.
Com’n on all you BoE folks, you can push his increase through in seconds. Why listen to public?
See the attached link to the BOE web site for details on the proposed budget.
http://www.westport.k12.ct.us/budget.htm
John McCarthy
What is the expenditure, per pupil, for our neighboring towns? How do our assessment scores compare with these towns?
And can we afford the constant cycle of tax increases, home building expansion and pupil population increases and round again? Is it more than time to look at alternative funding for our huge school budget?
I understand that there are 4 assistant principals at Staples earning $165,000/year in addition to only covering 16% of health care costs. Most businesses require employees cover 35% of health care costs.
Mr. Landon needs credit counseling for his spending issue. We need change in this town. The old way of doing business has not served our town well. Where is the fiduciary responsibility to tax payers? The Board of Ed. has too much power for a so-called democratic town government.
Just do not allow your non-agenda comments to go over 15 minutes (the peasants are revolting!):
January 14,2008 Staples High School
WESTPORT BOARD OF EDUCATION
*AGENDA
(Agenda Subject to Modification in Accordance with Law)
PUBLIC SESSION /PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
Staples High School, Cafeteria B (Room 301), 8:00 p.m.
WORK SESSION WITH BOARD OF FINANCE:
Review of health insurance with Board of Ed benefits consultant, Robert Pernicka,
Senior Vice President, The Segal Company
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION
PUBLIC QUESTIONS/COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS (15 MINUTES)
MINUTES: 12-10-07, 1-7-08
DISCUSSION:
2008-09 Proposed Budget of the Superintendent of Schools (Encl.) Dr. Landon Ms. Harris
The Board of Ed has public meetings each week during budget season and is holding an all-day work session open to the public on Friday starting at 8:30 in the McManus room of the Library. Everyone is welcome to attend, become knowledgeable and then put forth informed opinions!