Well, right now according to the Town Manager, we are looking at a 5.6% increase in taxes (about $400 increase on a median home). This is because the Board of Education spending is $3.45 million more than last year (2.9%) . Town departments, and Town spending came in below a 0% increase. Raises and salaries on the Town side have been frozen. Not so on the Education side of the house.The Mayor said that he is suggesting and expecting the Board of Education to revise its numbers drastically to bring a zero percent increase in spending as well.
The biggest expense in town is salaries and benefits. The Town Manager said we can't cut pencils anymore - we need to get salaries and benefits frozen or reduced.
They are saying that they are in negotiations with the unions to see what they can do to help in these difficult budget times, and that if the cost of salaries and benefits cannot be renegotiated then there will definitely be layoffs.
So we start at 5.6% and we'll just have to play the budget limbo game and see how low we can go. Given this economy, and the struggles families are experiencing, let's hope we can accomplish a zero tax increase this year and get spending on wages and benefits under control.
3 WH Responses:
Talk of West Hartford says:
"Raises and salaries on the Town side have been frozen. Not so on the Education side of the house."
Really? In the 2009-10 education budget:
The Superintendent's salary is frozen.
The Assistant Superintendent's salary is frozen.
The Human Resources dept. salaries are frozen.
The Director of Finance and Planning's salary is frozen.
The Technology Supervisor's salary is frozen.
The Director of Plant and Facilities salary is frozen.
Of course there are salary increases for employees under contract.
Bingo... employees under contract got a raise - so the comment was entirely correct.
Oh and how much of a raise did Karen List get? $40,000, and how much more will the person get that steps into her position?.
Lets face the BOE gets what ever thet want. May be we should charge for quest and AP course. They make the kid pay to play. Freeze teachers pay they can afford it
Post a Comment