Milford Board Of Education Approves Superintendent Budget

MILFORD, CT — The Milford Board of Education approved Superintendent Anna Cutaia's proposed budget in a 9-1 party line vote. The budget will now be forwarded to Mayor Ben Blake for the next step in the budget process.

“I know it's not easy deciding what does and doesn't get included year after year,” Board Chair Susan Glennon said. “But I do think you found the sweet spot that honors our commitments, which I think is most important, and allows us to keep moving forward.”

Cutaia requested a $106.49 million 2023-2024 budget, which is a 4.39 percent increase over last year’s adopted budget. The requested increase is the largest seen in years and is being driven mainly by salary and benefits, special education, transportation and unfunded state mandates.

“When you look at the initial 4.39 percent… that’s a lot higher than we’ve been seeing in recent years,” board member Emily McDonough Souza said, but she voiced support for the budget, especially the continuation of the elementary school counselor program.

“Aside from the fact that it is part of being mandated by state law, I think it's the right thing to do,” she said. “I think that having these elementary school counselors is just crucial, especially at this time coming out of the pandemic for kids mental health.”

Only 0.18 percent of the requested increase was for system improvements. They include adding Spanish in fifth grade, expanding the certified nursing assistant course, some new textbooks and a pottery wheel for Jonathan Law High School.

“There was very little left for discretionary system improvements, and I think that the system improvements that you’ve chosen to focus on were very thoughtfully selected,” Board Majority Leader Una Petroske said.