Reprinted from The Trumbull Times © Copyright 2010
January 14, 2010

By Donald Eng

The $86.2 million proposed 2010-11 school budget, approved last week by a 5-2 vote, restores many of the positions eliminated in School Supt. Ralph Iassogna's original request while still reducing his proposed 3.53% increase.

The bad news is that it cuts transit funding for out-of-district special education students and includes an ominous sounding "funding cliff” of anticipated budget shortfalls for next year.

"Originally, when I proposed a 3.53% increase in recognition of economic reality, to get there I had to reduce programs and eliminate existing positions,” Iassogna said. "But during the board's discussions, we became aware that the federal stimulus funds could be used to fund various items, and we decided to use about $1.2 million to restore most of the staff cuts.”

The board-approved budget represents a 2.54% increase over last year. The problem, according to board member Steve Wright, is that using one-time funds to cover ongoing expenses can be a recipe for disaster. Wright was one of the two to vote against the budget. Fellow Democrat Lisa Labella was the other.

"When you use one-time windfalls to cover recurring items, you create a funding cliff in next year's budget,” Wright said. "Next year, you either have to cut the item or start out with a $1.2 million increase just to stay even.”

The use of stimulus funds in this year's budget allowed the board to restore four teachers at Trumbull High and 4.5 custodians. Still, keeping the proposed increase to 2.54% required the board to reduce funding for transporting special needs students by $175,000.

That number is subject to change because special education programs are mandated by the state.

"We do our best to meet the needs of every special needs student within the district, but sometimes there are cases that we are not equipped to handle, and that can get expensive,” Iassogna said. One student, who graduated from the school system several years ago, needed daily transportation to Eagle Hill Academy.

The school is in Fairfield, but the cost of transporting the student and a monitor exceeded $34,000 a year.

The final cut the board made was to the school's negotiating reserve. Essentially the reserve is a savings account buffer against future salary increases. Wright said that cut was a smart move.

"Next year, we're anticipating a significantly lower pay increase across the board for the staff,” Wright said.

This year, teachers received pay increases near 5%. But other districts that have negotiated similar work agreements so far this year have increased teacher salaries an average of just over 1%, Wright said.

"It's not like there will be a reduction in that account, but it looks like the projected increase will be considerably lower,” he said. "That should free up some funds.”

The school budget now heads to First Selectman Tim Herbst, who has indicated he considers the proposal a "good starting point.” School board member Deborah Herbst, Tim's mother, said she hoped that the first selectman, Board of Finance and Town Council would do their best to spare the schools further reductions.

"The voters sent us a clear message that they want us to be accountable for every dollar, and this proposal is very cognizant of that fact,” she said. She added that she had not discussed the budget with Tim.

"I tried really hard to do my thing, and I realize that he has to do his,” she said. "We both have a responsibility to the taxpayers.”