The people have spoken.
WHFirst did a good job getting out the vote with the help of the Superintendent's robo calls, and the PTO's, and organized union labor's help.
Now... let's tackle that $12.5 Million dollar deficit we are facing for next year's budget!
Do you suppose the union that supported this budget increase will be willing to make concessions on their next contract negotiations?
24 WH Responses:
Bitter, bitter, bitter...
How is that bitter? It's the facts plain and simple.
Union money paid for a town-wide mailer.
Interesting that the voter turnout was lower than in 2008 by about 3,340 voters.
The "YES" vote was a little under 2008's number of "YES" votes and the "NO" voter numbers were 1/2 of the 2008 total of "NO" voters.
Also the number of "NO" voters were pretty much the number that signed the petitions.
Don't you think that the people of West Hartford are intelligent enough to get phone calls and mailers and see large newspaper ads and airplane signs then STILL think on their own, consider the issues, and make smart decisions in a referendum? As they did today? When they said "Yes" to the budget...
Hey - as you said BEFORE you started in on your "just the facts" sour-grapes snarks: The people have spoken.
So listen.
It would appear that there was a lack of interest on the NO side this year.
The YES side was energised enough to get their regular base out.
Next year should be interesting!
Jim - No one is dissing the intelligence of anyone in Town.
You cannot dismiss the fact that the union backed get out the vote lobby was very strong this time around. They did a good job of scaring parents into thinking Johnny won't have a teacher, and stating the obvious - that this increase was a modest one. What they did not say was that we have a bigger problem to tackle.
You still also cannot dismiss the fact that this Town is facing a huge deficit problem now for next year's budget.
No sour grapes at all, just the recognition of the fiscal reality that what the voters of West Hartford have done is merely put off the inevitable of dealing with unsustainable spending for yet another budget cycle.
Congratulations to the town of West Hartford who believes purchasing higher priced education will buy them smarter children. Perhaps…smarter FUTURE teachers and cops.
Maybe the stay-at-home moms holding signs at the polls yesterday could volunteer their time to replace the many Para-professionals and teacher's assistants whom they insist our schools need to be successful.
I wasn't worried that my "Johnny" wasn't going to have a teacher; I'm more worried about class size and programs being cut.
I did not receive a flyer at home nor did I receive a phone call, my info came from town meetings.
I am still interested in having my budget questions addressed from my June 15th post, any takers?
A Concerned Mom
We didn't know about petitions nor the Budget (contents and date for vote) Now and here, we are trying to connect with WH Taxpayers Association. How can we get the Application to be members? We'll stay in touch with this site for advice, thanks, Mr & Mrs M.Brook
Class size? Programs being cut? Honestly? Your tax increase went into pensions and benefits. Next year when they try to plug a $12.5 million dollar hole, what exactly will you be willing to give up? Because the teachers union certainly won't be giving up anything. Oh right, maybe you can get a second job to pay for that tax increase (except there are no jobs), or stay a little longer at work and away from the family. But it's all about "the kids". You've been had.
'Maybe the stay-at-home moms holding signs at the polls yesterday could volunteer their time to replace the many Para-professionals and teacher's assistants whom they insist our schools need to be successful."
No reason to stop there!! Maybe some of those spoiled Volvo-driving latte-drinking "yes" voters could volunteer with the police and fire departments, and we could get rid of all the so-called "professionals" who are only in it for the benefits and the pensions anyway!!!!!
Concerned Dad,
Hey - I'm curious - which school(s) are your kids at again? Thanks!
You can find the WHTA at WHTA.ORG. membership forms are on the site.
http://whta.org/
You can also join the Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Hartford-Taxpayers-Association/107610035934376?ref=ts
you can cut and paste either link to get there quicker
The Brooks,
How could you NOT know about the budget? And the referendum? Do you read newspapers? Obviously, you use the Internet. Didn't see it there? Posted on this very blog?
Wow....
When looking at a rise in budgets, we have to keep in mind the town population of today vs. 10 years ago, and the increase number of residents using those services…
Compare the cost of today to 10 years ago:
What is the number of staff 10 today vs. 10 years ago?
What is the student population today vs. 10 years ago?
What is the number of students requiring special services today vs. 10 years ago?
What is the average classroom size K-5, middle, high school today vs. 10 years ago?
Compare BOE to other town departments:
"The BOE budget has risen 61%"; how does this compare to the other WH departments? Fire, Police, WH employees, Services for the elderly, trash?
Isn’t it a fact that the cost of benefits i.e. health insurance has gone up in every sector - not just for BOE? Are you saying the BOE is different than every other department’s budget?
61% Increase over 10 years – How much of that is due to:
“No Child Left Behind”, how much is directly tied because we MUST implement and support NCLB?
The increase cost of electric, water, heating, and cooling?
The increase costs in liability insurance?
The increase cost in building maintenance, excluding janitorial salaries?
The increase costs for legal representation? (There is a fair amount of nuisance lawsuits)
The cost in bus services?
The increase costs for special education?
My electric bill and heating bill has more than doubled in that same time span, yet my kilowatt usage is approx the same.
The costs of my benefits have more than doubled, but I have less coverage today than I did 10 years ago.
Looking at raw numbers, without supporting break down, does not put costs in a true light. The BOE budget is an easy target because it is big, but it’s supporting 16 schools with over 10,000 students. How does WH BOE budget compare to another town with 16 schools and same student population?
Until the questions above are shown, I don’t see waste, I don’t see that 35% is going into teachers pockets. I’m a realist that knows everything comes at a cost. I would rather see the town tennis courts, pools, senior centers, and leisure services shut down before the quality of education. I came from a town where the mill rate was lower, but the population, number of students does not compare. That town did not have a senior center, trash pick up, or tennis courts. To make something seem wasteful just because it is large does not do justice.
I’m not sure how to solve the problems. We have a town council we voted for; we should not be trying to manage the town by referendum at 40K a pop.
Also, unless you have volunteered to help out in a classroom and seen first hand what it’s all about; don’t assume stay-at-home moms are not doing enough.
A Concerned Mom
An average 3% salary increase over the last 10 years doesn’t sound extravagant on its face…unfortunately this has not been what has been going on in the private sector...you know the people that pay for the public sector employees…while the cost of benefits has risen sharply so has my contribution to pay for them…in effect any salary increase that I have received has gone to pay for my contribution…so the net result is that my take home pay is actually less year to year…but somehow I still have to some up with the money to pay the ever increasing taxes…at all levels – town, state, and federal…concerned Mom – you should have moved to Farmington where the school system is better and the mill rate is only around 28
Concerned Mom - go ahead and do the work to figure out all the answers to your questions. The rest of us have spent many, many hours on research, speaking at meetings, etc. etc. Getting this information is no easy task as the BOE makes it that way so people get frustrated and give up. I think if you did get the answers to your questions you would come away with a whole different prospective.
Hey people,say something new already. All this has already been said.
The voters have spoken and they want more taxes. Good if they still have jobs to pay it.
The tax and spend Progressives (most of which who are benefiting from tax shifting and not paying their fair share of tax anyway) in town want to grow government and spend more, and the people who understand the fiscal implications of these unsustainable budgets, as well as those who have limited incomes and are being taxed out of town, want to examine ways to rein in spending.
Nuff said.
We'll go through the whole stupid thing again next year.
Anyone think we need a change in the way we charge for services?
Bi-Partisan,
Help me out here -
What exactly is "Bi-Partisan" about you (besides your name)?
Thanks!
The BOE is out of control. The democrats have neve seen a program they dont like. We all know the teachers will never give anything up. Half of them dont live in town so they dont feel our pain. If they charge for sports why dont we charge for Ap courses music and other things. My taxes go up every year and services keep going down like no vacum pick up fo leafs. The town of Hartford still picks up leaves and they are in worse shape then us. If we took some of that 80,ooo slush fund each school gets maybe we would have our leaves pick up. There is more to this town then just education..
Instead of calling it the BOE we should call it the Board of higher taxes
Nothing more to see here folks... move along.
A question: Is the WHTA already planning a referendum for 2011?
Thanks!
Another tax increase!!
How many more people will be driven out of WH??
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