Even though the budget was approved, whatever budget it was, lets continue to build a list of facts
The Frowny
signifies negative , unconstructive, or even destructive behavior from the viewpoint of the Cafe; by contrast, the Smiley
signifies positive, constructive behavior.
What are the Facts?
• June 7th is the date that Woodstock citizens voted to approve or disapprove the Town budget.
• The Town budget passed 920 (YES) to 200 (NO). 8:12PM 6/7/06.
• Ms. Wholean stated in the Norwich Bull after the budget vote was in, “The people who came out today were pretty brave (because of the rain).”
• In Brooklyn 168 voters in a town meeting passed the education budget of $13.7 million and 166 voters rejected the town operating budget at 4.9 million as too high. As a consequence of these votes, the education budget slice will increase from 73.7% of the total town budget to some higher number. Brooklyn has an estimated population of 7660 (2004 est.) and Woodstock has an estimated population of 7868 (2004 est.).
• After years of budget cuts and reduction in teachers, the Putnam education budget was still rejected by Putnam voters requiring further cuts.
• According to the CT State Department of Education the 2004-2005 Woodstock education budget provided the sixth lowest spending per pupil out of 166 Connecticut Towns and Regional school districts.
• The spending per pupil by Woodstock is last by comparison with Eastford, Thompson, Killingly, Putnam, Brooklyn, Windham, Pomfret, Willington, Ashford, and Tolland.
• The tuition charged for the 2006-2007 school year by the Academy for each Woodstock High School student would rank the Academy 66th lowest out of 166 towns and regional districts based upon the tuitions paid by all Connecticut towns for the 2004-2005 school year.
• This coming school year, teachers will be laid off and all remaining Town staff will receive a raise.
• Adding the cost of 2 school buses per year (normally not in the education budget) to the education budget would only increase the cost per student by $101 per year and knock Woodstock down to 158th out of 166 in the state in spending per pupil.
• The declaration by Mr. Shultz in the Villager that “the BOE is acting illegally!� is FALSE.
• We don’t know exactly where budget cuts in the K-8 system will take place, or when.
• Proposition 46 sets Woodstock’s over-all spending cap, but it is the Board of Finance that establishes the amount of money divided up between the school system and Town Hall.
• The Board of Finance has not explained the basis for the percentage by which they divide up the money for the town operating budget and the education budget.
• Town Hall has had increases in spending last year and this year for new programs while for the past two years, the school system had to maintain only a maintenance budget without regard to rising fuel costs, unexpected student increases at the Academy, and changing contractual obligations.
• The statement in the Norwich Bulletin by Barbara Rich, Town Treasurer, ‘that the $14.1 million budget is the highest amount of funding allowable for the education budget under the town’s property tax cap, Proposition 46,’ is FALSE.
• Prop 46 says nothing about what the relative sizes of the education and the Town operating budgets should be.
• Prop 46 is irrelevant because no matter what budget is presented, the VOTERS HAVE THE LAST WORD!
• Mr. Wetzel and Mr. Shultz are in favor of Prop 46 even though they submitted the petition to repeal Prop 46.
• Woodstock citizens donate time and money to help both the Academy and K-8 school system.
• There are approximately 1500 Woodstock children and teenagers whose education is supported by the Town.
• The poverty rate in Woodstock is a low 1.9% just above Tolland and Pomfret but below Eastford, Thompson, Killingly, Putnam, Brooklyn, Windham, Willington, and Ashford which range in poverty rates from 2.8% to 12.7%.
• Everett Shephard reported on WINY that in past years when he was chairman of the Board of Finance, the education budget presented and approved was lower than the amount allowed by Prop 46.
• Mr. Wetzel’s claim that the Board of Education is suing the Academy is FALSE.
• Woodstock is the only town in Connecticut that has a proposition like Prop 46.
• In the last election, the independent candidate for First Selectman and CPS’er, Mr. Klusek, received 20% of the vote. In the last referendum to amend Prop 46, the NO votes were 70% of the total vote. In the selectman race there were 2327 votes and in this last referendum there were 2209 votes. In the final referendum on the Town budget, 1120 people voted of which 18% voted NO.
• Ms. Wholean would like to reduce property taxes for the elderly and has put $20,000 into the town operating budget to fund “Dial-a-Rideâ€?, Mr. Eaffy would like to have a Town Cop; and Ms. Very would like to hang birdfeeders at New Roxbury Village. Read the rest of this entry »