Milford school budget deserves support

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

To the Editor:

On March 9, I urge Milford voters to support every article on the school district ballot.

The proposed operating budget is basically a maintenance budget, similar in amount to a normal default budget calculation. The proposed operating budget is a responsible compromise between the need to keep spending low in the current economic climate, and the desire to provide our students with good schools.

Using legal but questionable logic, a majority of the School Board recently developed a district policy that set the “default” budget on the ballot at a level that actually represents about a $400,000 reduction in spending, which will result in layoffs and reduced hours for some district employees. When the voters at the deliberative session changed the proposed operating budget, the majority of the board refused to follow their own policy and adjust the default budget to match it. The result is a “default” budget that actually represents significant cuts.

The proposed four-room addition to the Jacques School will allow us to solve some long-term space needs while 75 percent state funding is available. There is a good chance that the state funding will not be available in future years, so we need to act now to ensure that we get the matching funds.

I also urge you to support Ron Carvell and John Parker for the three-year School Board terms, and Bert Becker for the one-year term. All three are moderate thinkers that strike a balance between costs and school offerings. They recognize the importance of providing good school environments to our students while trying to minimize the corresponding tax consequences.

PAUL DARGIE

Milford