Norwalk’s director of finance says the city cannot afford the Board of Education’s $4 million 2011-12 capital budget request. In a Feb. 1 letter to city officials, Tom Hamilton recommends the city spend $27.6 million for citywide capital improvements, of which $875,000 would be for BOE technology upgrades. However, no allocation should be made this year for the other district projects. Hamilton also pared back the BOE’s five-year capital plan, suggesting the board get $20 million instead of the $40.5 million requested.
“Without making substantial reductions to the established city capital program, the city cannot afford a new capital program for the Board of Education of this magnitude,” Hamilton wrote.
In early December, the BOE proposed a five-year plan to ease overcrowding in five elementary schools: Cranbury, Rowayton, Naramake, Jefferson and Columbus. The plan also included funds to install air conditioning in all the elementary schools, upgrade technology, repair asphalt and concrete and make other needed infrastructure improvements. The $4 million for 2011-12 approved by the BOE would have been spent on Naramake, Rowayton and Cranbury schools.
In an interview, Hamilton said the BOE has an “unallocated, unspent” $6 million balance in the capital fund that could be used for next year’s projects. He added that the city spent $200 million on major school renovations between 2003-2008.
While he “applauds” the fact that the BOE presented a multi-year plan, Hamilton thinks the BOE needs to “establish priorities” based on the city’s current fiscal situation.
“The city doesn’t have the capacity to take on that kind of debt,” says Hamilton. “That money has to paid back with interest. There isn’t support for increasing taxes.”
Hamilton emphasized that his recommendation was not final. The Board of Estimate and Taxation and the mayor have to weigh in on the capital budget before the Common Council sets a “cap” or limit in mid-April.
“My recommendations are based on already planned capital projects on the city side. If the city decides that the BOE is a higher priority than the planned city projects, then that changes the situation.” He also said that the five-year plan can be “modified” from year to year.
Democratic Common Council member Nora King is unhappy about Hamilton’s recommendations. “We are going in the wrong direction with this budget,” she says. “We can’t keep cutting the BOE budget year after year, especially when we have overcrowding in our schools.” King represents Rowayton, where the elementary school is slated for expansion.
King, who supports a short-term tax increase, says Mayor Richard Moccia should be helping the schools by building up the tax base. “The mayor should be taking a leadership role in getting development going and building up the grand list.” She also says he should be working with the BOE on “teacher performance and academic issues as well as pension issues.”
Friday, February 4, 2011
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When the Board of Education approved the capital request and five year program, statements were made during the debate that indicated -- at least to me -- that Hamilton and the city's Finance Department had been briefed and that the request was deemed reasonable by the city.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be a disconnect between then and now. Could someone please explain the difference between what was said before the BOE vote and what our Finance Director officially recommended?
To support nothing, but $875,000 for Technology is a smack in the face to Norwalk Public School kids. There's no point in technology if the kids are sitting in classrooms that were meant to be closets. Once again, the parents need to fight City Hall for what should be valued by all Norwalk residents. The right to a fair and decent education - funded by the taxes that we all work hard to pay. Visit www.norwalkct.org and attend all the budget meetings. You call also email all City Council members from the same website.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused. Why does Nora King want the mayor involved in teacher performance?
ReplyDeleteMore confusion. How does Nora King's SHORT term tax increase help a situation in which the board requires an increase down the road with each successive year to come?
ReplyDeletePension issues-The Mayor must realize that CT teachers aren't eligible for Social Security even if they contributed and worked in a prior job for 10+ years. Is he trying to take away the only income teachers have after they retire?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what hangs in the balance if the Board of Education budget is fully funded? Where would this money come from? How is the state of our libraries? Has anyone traveled our roads since the ice has melted? That's major cost right there. It seems the reason people complain about street plows is because the city has downsized its workforce in that department. How do we make it all work and not tax those who cannot afford it right now?
ReplyDeleteI have been a resident of Norwalk for 12 years. It's time to raise taxes to ensure our children get a decent education. We chose Norwalk because we wanted our children to live in a diverse community, to grow up in the real world, and to take advantage of everything Norwalk has to offer. If we don't take charge and give our schools what they need to operate, many of us will be forced to leave the city we love, and move to districts who do put the kids first.
ReplyDeleteI want to make myself clear about taxes. I feel that we going to be forced to raises taxes - based on how the budget has been presented. I am not happy with even the thought of raising taxes. I come from an area of Norwalk that is over taxed and our community pays the highest taxes in Norwalk. I do not feel that the services that are provided by Norwalk are equal to what we contribute. That being said - what is happening with the BOE budget isn't acceptable. Without a strong educational system not only do children suffer but the property values suffer. Who wants to move to cities that have poorly run school systems? No one!
ReplyDeletePensions systems no longer work. Of course you cannot take pensions away from folks that already have them but you can change the system for new hires. Large companies such as IBM have even done way with pension systems for new hires. They no longer work in this country. Government jobs should be no different than private sector jobs. We should be paying competitive salaries and if you are performing - you should be compensated well and if you are not performing you need to find a job elsewhere. A very wise man just made a comment to me. Generals want boots on the ground - what parents want are teachers in our classrooms. Our focus should be on the performance in the classrooms and less on the administration.
As for my comments on the mayor - this is what I believe. A mayor should have the vision for the city. They need to set the vision for companies to want to come and set up shop, developers to want to build here and be able to get the shovels into the ground to grow the grand list. Without this happening we will every year have these BOE conversations on where to cut because we are not growing the grand list. The current mayor is not doing this! He hasn't been doing this for the past 5 1/2 years. We need change this November! Taxpayers need to understand without the vision for growth, education and change the BOE is going to suffer every year at budget time.
The mayor should be inspiring the BOE and teachers about the importance of a great education system. With that comes great growth and with young folks wanting to live here and putting their children in the school system. He has had a Republican Governor for his entire administration - why isn't he being a leader up in Hartford to get our ECS dollars increased. The fact that we get so little back isn't recent news. This has been happening for a long time. A true leader would be up there fighting for us! Under his administration ECS dollars have actually decreased. The current mayor wants to give all Ordinance Employees a pay raise yet he is cutting the BOE budget. Let's now forget the Department Heads are under his leadership.
The mayor likes to use the phrase Norwalk on the Move - the way I see it - the only direction Norwalk is moving lately is backwards. This November we need to vote a new mayor into office to get Norwalk moving forward!
Regards,
Councilwoman Nora King, District E
Nora King, I have no idea why you are discussion teacher pensions, and I suggest that you do some research on the pension plan for the teachers. There is absolutely no local involvement in that fund, which means that neither the City of Norwalk nor the Norwalk Board of Education contributes anything to it. Also, neither has any legal authority over the fund, nor does either even have a vote in any matters involving the fund.
ReplyDeleteIt is a state pension fund that is supported entirely by the contributions of teachers and the contributions of the State of Connecticut, although the State of Connecticut has often failed to make its contribution, choosing instead to spend the money elsewhere.
I am talking about the pension system in general not just BOE. Plus as taxpayers - does it matter whether it is funded at City or State. We are still having to pay for it.
ReplyDeleteNora King
Good point Nora, thank you.
ReplyDeleteBTW.. be thankful you still HAVE a pension. Lots of long time employees of both large and small companies have lost theirs, entirely. Be grateful for what you have. A job. Benefits. And a pension. And a raise. And tenure. And preferred parking for principals.. OY..
ReplyDeleteA very valid point has been brought up. Who is going to pay for an increase in the Cap? Our taxes will have to increase. There is no way Dick Moccia will let that happen when he is running his campaign on no tax increases. Wake up Dick - we need you to adjust your vision and come to reality. You have a diverse city, not just seniors. Yes, the seniors are important, and we should respect and support them any way possible. But looking to the future, you have to look to our schools. If the city and state do not support our schools, people will leave our city and never return. You were all the same elected officials who threw money at Sal Corda in the hope that he was going to give you some return on your investment. Shame on you for not monitoring it properly. But PLEASE, don't continue to jeopardize our kids' futures' in the name of payback to Central Office and BOE.
ReplyDeleteWe have to move forward together. Dr. Marks can't do her job without a competent BOE (hmmm - another subject), BOE can't facilitate change without improving their relations with City Council. Stop the politicking and think of the kids. We can take on other causes if you can all pull together for the kids.
Nora, I have heard from many Rowayton residents that they pay higher taxes but it seems that actually your tax rate is lower than many other parts of Norwalk. I understand that a house that is the same size as mine but costs twice as much than mine by being "in Rowayton" will have higher taxes but that is a choice people make by purchasing in an affluent community, but I see no evidence that you are paying higher taxes than the rest of Norwalk and have researched the tax rate to see if this is true but found the opposite - am I missing something? Can you provide evidence that your tax rate is higher? Is a $500,000 house in Rowayton paying more than a $500,000 house just outside of Rowayton? The fact that you are provided beach rights and community perks denied to the rest of Norwalk should justify higher taxes but yet again do those higher taxes actually exist?
ReplyDeleteI do believe raising taxes is our solution, it NEEDS to happen and happen now and I am willing to pay higher taxes to give our schools what they need. If people are willing to consider $20,000 per year in private school tuition because they are unhappy with Norwalk Public Schools then I don't understand why they wouldn't be willing to invest a few hundred to help our schools improve?!
Look, every year the school system requests an increase in funding. As far as I understand it, the city responds with an increase. The board gets more money from the city... not a decrease. It may not get the actual amount it wants, but it never gets a CUT. It's up to the board to cut low priority items in order to address NEW priority items within its own structure. Every year the city pays more money than it did before to the BOE. As long as BOE salaries increase yearly, so will the need for more funding from year to year. If you increase taxes this year, you will have to do it again next year. How many years have we been wearing these armbands to the budget hearings now? This isn't new... and let's not blame politicos, please! This budget item has changed hands numerous times. It is SO reckless to make the BOE budget a political issue. Our public officials need to stop pointing fingers and stop using this forum for their own campaigning. If they have solutions, it is their responsibility to share them now; otherwise, go back to the think tank and share the blame.
ReplyDeleteAny tax increases MUST be tied to school reforms. Dr Marks is trying... but being thwarted by different members of the BOE and union leadership....did I make myself clear...union leadership...NOT teachers!!! We love our teachers...but look at the bigger picture around you.
ReplyDeleteI am a long time republican and Dick Moccia is not helping our community. Let's make the beaches look nice but forget the schools. I definately wouldn't vote for him again. We need to higher the taxes!!!
ReplyDeleteRaise taxes? That's a reckless statement, isn't it? What taxes, specifically? Stop the slogans, please. If you have a solid solution to a very real nationwide problem, let's have it!
ReplyDeleteBut we need to provide some accountability to NPS and BOE. We need a plan folks - we need our elected officials to start talking to eachother and working on real solutions. We can't keep throwing money and raising taxes, while having the same administration, same lack of accountability and with no details of a plan.
ReplyDeleteCity Council members - question the BOE and Supt. Marks on specifics about the plans. Don't fight with them about supporting Union contracts or inflated administration salaries. Ask for the specifics of the plan.
BOE and Dr. Marks - come to these meetings prepared. Know the details of your budget and how you expect to spend the money.
I have no problem supporting a tax increase if we know the educational plan and how it will be implemented.
So according to 9:28, should Council Member Nora King, who supports a tax raise to fund the BOE budget request, first grill the BOE and Dr. Marks about "the educational plan and how it will be implemented" prior to her support of raising the cap?
ReplyDeleteAny Council Member or BOE member should question what the educational plan is for NPS. I don't know if Dr. Marks deserves a "grilling" but a general overview with data supporting the educational plan is a fabulous and new approach!
ReplyDeleteActually, before the schools' capital budget was reviewed by the BOE's Finance Committee, a comprehensive study was undertaken to evaluate school over-crowding and building needs.
ReplyDeleteThe result of that study was a comprehensive plan of how space could be created in our elementary schools and which identified those schools which were serving areas in which there was population growth.
Unfortunately, parsing $3Million of capital funding for school renovations does not meet these needs. Also, portable classrooms were to be used for swingspace at Naramake and Rowayton and to accommodate immediate needs for more classroom space. These needs are supported by reliable population projections. Yet, in the Finance Director's report, no funds are allocated for these and other immediate needs.
For instance, there are needs in many of our schools to improve the safety of our school stages and assembly areas. There is a need in many of our schools to repair and repave broken curbing and other dangerous conditions in sidewalks and driveways. These needs were included in the BOE capital plan but rejected by the Finance Director.
Finally, the prior approval of the unspent $6 Million was discussed. It was my understanding that those bodies which would make the final assessment of our capital needs would decide how much of our immediate capital needs would come from this $6 Million and how much would be raised through new bonding. Therefore, for a suggestion to be made (as it had been in The Hour's recent editorial) that the $6 Million of capacity was "recently discovered" is simply untrue.
We do need to decide as a community how to avoid the school construction mistakes of the past. But, as we all strive to safeguard taxpayers' equity in our schools, we cannot overlook clear and present immediate needs of our students.
Get rid of the 100K+ do-nothings on the third floor of the Central Orifice!
ReplyDelete9:23 - Not a reckless statement. There is an obvious correlation in surrounding towns that higher property taxes = better educational systems. I am a long time resident and I am looking into schools and towns to live in because obviously Norwalk has a lack of interest in the schools!! I know this first hand because I am also an educator in the system. Norwalk didn't need lights and new sidewalks, tables, etc. at the beach! Don't paint the town to make it look pretty! You have to fix it on the inside first. What is the mayor's priority anymore? Norwalk's future generations should be our number one priority!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, 1:18 well, said. We should start at BOE if cuts are what needs to happen. The head of elementary education is useless! She only recently "stopped" by schools b/c Dr. Marks wanted to see staff in the schools. Well, we saw her...not like she did anything. Oh wait last year she also stopped in schools to see what the temperature was like. So, I guess she is really worth her title and salary...NOT!
Problem is, there is much debate about where our precious money should go. Why is it that a rare few get this? Frankly, improvements to the beach were way overdue. Many people were complaining about that for years. Money is set aside for that sort of improvement and it was used accordingly.The beach is a very important resource that helps increase the value of homes, too. However, money is not taken away from the schools for that item. It comes out of a different plan. Do you remember when Alex Knopp took money from the capital budget for new textbooks? Do you recall that year when our roads were unfit for traveling with no money for repairs? Where are those textbooks now? This year there will be many roads slated for repairs. Just try driving down a main drag right now and sample some of our newly formed potholes. People will soon be complaining about those in the spring. There is much that should be discussed, but we must start looking at the big picture. I just want to know why people lose it completely when they are stirred up in a mob-like frenzy. What makes people narrow their vision and simply see what affects them momentarily? We've often seen BOE members who get elected on their campaign platforms and then fizzle out in a few short months. Why is that? What happened to the fight? Frankly, it's because they now see the BIG picture and why things are done the way they are done. There is no difference in who is there. There is no difference with political parties. What remains constant is the productive level at which people can choose to collaborate, or not. It's veyr important to keep sight of who is being political and who is trying to make sense in all this emotional chaos. Politics is a roadblock. It's creeping into this budget and people need to be very aware of it. These budget difficulties are happening all over the country right now. It does matter who or how right now, it only matters that we each take the high road and do the most responsibile thing possible to help each other and what makes the most sense for EVERYONE who lives in our city.
ReplyDeleteWell said 7:30, Norwalk's problems exist in other towns too, everyone is suffering, every is making budget cuts, everyone is having the same calendar issues. Last year when we had our 0% increase other school districts were cutting. Take pride in our city and work to improve it, stop bashing it and using situations like this to justify your desire to move to other towns, who says they aren't having the same issues? Since moving to Norwalk my old Stamford neighborhood has fought redistricting 3 times! We have alot to offer people, if we had more residents that embraced being here and supported our schools rather than constantly complaining we'd see the pride in education and our town that could make it what you desire.
ReplyDelete3:29 AM
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily believe that higher taxes equal better education. Bridgeport has a high mill rate, but I don't see people moving there because of the schools. Smaller towns want to keep their mill rate low to attract property owners.
The taxes also cover things like services - oh, you know, garbage pick up for the 4th District, city sewers, police, fire, Health Department and the ever popular plowing.
To the people who are discussing the tax rate in Rowayton (6th District) vs. the rest of the City, uh, the Mayor has nothing to do with it. The houses are assessed by an independent real estate firm. Those figures go to the Tax Assessor. The tax bill is 70% of the total assessment. After the bills are sent out, the residents can make an appeal. The information then goes to another group of independent realtors who review each and every complaint and make a decision as to how much the final assessment will be. They compare the various residents with similar type residents for a fair basis. Those decisions go back to the Tax Collector. This is all governed by State statute and the Mayor has absolutely nothing to do with it. And the mill rate is actually set by the BET with Council approval.
As for raising taxes, exactly where do you think this money is going to come from? Most people I know, including myself, are just getting by and having so many snow storms impacted my finances. If I'm not working, I'm not earning. When the property taxes rise, the owners wonder whether it's food, electric or taxes. The renters see their rent go up. And usually, the people who are at the bottom of the wage earnings are forced to choose between food or rent, and frequently, they are the ones that lose their jobs. While certain individuals may have enough money to handle a tax hike, there's a lot of us who don't. The more the taxes go up, the more people who are forced to depend on City, State and Federal services (tax relief,food stamps, food pantries, etc.) to get by.
Finally, when it all comes down to the bottom line, the BOE is responsible for managing their own finances just like a family is responsible for managing their finances on whatever they earn. State statute dictates that the City determines how much money the BOE gets and the BOE takes it from there. The BOE needs to make some tough choices. That's the reality.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteHow the taxes are handled is not accurate based on your posting. Every town hires an outside company to do revaluations. However, the mayor does hire the tax assessor. So step one is hire the most competent assessor. The assessor must be familiar with all the properties in the town or city. Because they are responsible for overseeing the statistical analysis that the outside company bases their model on for the revaluation. All good assessors work closely with the outside evaluation company to ensure the models and assumptions they make are correct because the assessors need to know the different areas of the town and understand the pattern of closed sales.
Taxpayers have the right to ensure that the mayor has done their job of hiring the best tax assessor for the town. Norwalk has had lots of issues with this past revaluation. Many commercial assessments were lower, which costs the actually homeowner higher taxes. Many of the models for certain areas like Wilson Point and Rowayton were not handled correctly. If commercial assessments were handled correctly then the burden would be much lower on the homeowner.
This then places an unfair burden on the homeowner to have to fight their taxes. I think the average tax payer deserves a system that is handled correctly from the start. If the system is fair and they want to go before the board that is fine, but if the analysis is flawed then it is a burden placed on the homeowners.
We had lots of issues this go around. Starting with how the notifications went out in the mail.
Regards,
Councilwoman Nora King
Thank you, Nora, for your response. My question, now, is of timely concern: how do you handle the BOE budget without raising property taxes this go-round? I fear for the small business owners who have so much on their plate right now. We cannot afford to lose those who sustained the economic crunch.
ReplyDeleteThoughts?
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI understand about small business. I own one myself. Properties taxes are going to go up even with the proposed budget that has been put out there. It was discuss tonight. For a median taxpayer (one who pays about 6K a year) their taxes will go up $107/year. I think the best solution would be for the union to give a little and the city to ask a little more from taxpayers. I really don't see a better one. Meet in the middle - whether that can be done or not is another story. I think as taxpayers, citizens and parents we need to put pressure on the Mayor to get development going in this city. If neighboring towns are growing their grand list to help with taxes there is no excuse for us not to. I do not want to be in the same position next year.
Nora King
REDUCE THE ADMINISTRATION IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE! WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO COMPREHEND?
ReplyDeleteTo Ms. King -
ReplyDeleteYour post stated "How the taxes are handled is not accurate based on your posting. Every town hires an outside company to do revaluations. However, the mayor does hire the tax assessor. So step one is hire the most competent assessor."
I would be very, very, very careful about making statements like that because what the Tax Assessor does is strictly governed by State Statute and you best be prepared to defend your statement about compentency. That's not a limb I would particularly want to step out onto without a lot of solid evidence. If you have that evidence, then you owe it to your constituent and the rest of the citizens of Norwalk to file a complaint. If not, that sounds like really dicey ground to me.
It also sounds like you are promoting the idea that the Mayor (and whether it was Mayor Moccia or Mayor Knopp, I don't know) deliberately hired someone who was not competent. That is also going to be an interesting charge to make stick. It also sounds like you are advocating that the State appoint people to the position of Tax Assessor rather than allowing the municipalities to hire the candidates they want. I'm not real comfortable with that.
I do know that the City of Norwalk has yearly audits and we do seem to pass them with a minimum of fuss on the part of the auditors, so I suspect if someone was messing around in the Tax Assessor's office, the auditors would have noticed something.
Whether or not you personally agree with how the Tax Assessor does his/her job is one thing, while whether the Tax Assessor is actively breaking the law is another.
If improvements to the beach were long overdue and that having a nice beach increases property values, what about improvements to our schools and what that will do to our property values. We have people who don't want to raise taxes to spend in schools but we also have people who don't use the beach and think that money could have been allocated differently. The children are the future of this city, state and country...what better place to spend our money? Whether you have children in the schools or not, the quality of our schools has an impact on the property values in the city and the education of our children impacts the future of all of us
ReplyDeleteI agree with some of the posters who seem not to be heard...at all. Reduce central office staff. I am not talking personalities, I am talking positions. There are jobs there that are totally unnecessary. What happened to the suggestion that an elementary principal take over as head principal? This eliminates one central office position and one secretarial position. Together with benefits and salaries, that's got to be over $200,000. There are other positions that are unnecessary as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd what incentive are you offering that Principal to take on this second job? Will there then be complaints that we are paying our head principal too much? And which school is willing to share their principal with the rest of the town? Our principal is hands on and has enough required of him. Who do you suggest will also coordinate all of the visits and evaluations the head principal will now be required to do? Their school secretary? Central Office staff is reduced, go visit - it's like a ghost town there. Regardless of where you think the cuts should come from, we know cuts must be made - even if the board gets the 4.25% that STILL means cuts! Fight for the budget even if you think you know where the money should come from.
ReplyDelete8:47--Administration CONSUMES 40% of the budget--UTTERLY RIDICULOUS.
ReplyDelete