Sweeping School Cuts Make 0% Spending Increase Possible

Interim-Superintendent Dr. Ernest Perlini presented his fiscal year 2012-13 budget proposal Tuesday, proposing an overall budget increase of .99 percent.

While the proposal requests a funding increase, it also represents a zero-percent increase in spending for the district.

Perlini said he believes his proposal "reflects the needs of the community of Windsor at this time."

"It reflects the poor economy that we have right now, and it provides for the continuation of a fine school district without over-burdening our tax payers," he said.

The zero-percent spending increase was achieved by making staff cuts, program cuts and deferring some facility needs while requesting a funding increase comparable to the loss of federal jobs money.

The total funding increase in Perlini's budget is roughly $614,000.

The district began the budget process in the hole by $600,000 — the amount of federal jobs money funding the redeployment of several positions throughout the district in the current fiscal year. That money will not be available to the district next year.

Among the cuts Perlini proposed were 15.9 staff positions, representing a decrease of over $300,000 from the current fiscal year.

Seven positions will also be added as a part of the implementation of full-day kindergarten.

Many of the additional cuts presented by Perlini were what he called deferments — putting off requests he viewed as non-essential to maintaining the level of education in town until another budget season.

Perlini said he does not feel forwarding requests to the next budget season will create a large budget increase in the future because "the Board will not be required to approve those requests."

Many of the deferred requests came in the form of building maintenance needs deemed to be non-pressing, instructional needs, such as the purchase of 25 iPads and new computers.

He called the cuts "eliminating what we can do without."

"The budget allows for all the good work to continue, and it helps to bring the education program of this community to the next level," he said.

A public hearing will be held Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the Board of Education board room at L.P. Wilson.