South Windsor Town Council Passes $68.12 Million Schools Budget

The streak continues.

Indeed, for the third consecutive year, the South Windsor Town Council approved the Board of Education’s proposed budget without making any cuts.

It’s believed to be the first time in town history that three school budgets have passed without a cut.

This year, the Town Council - by a 7-1 vote - approved on Monday evening a $68.12 million budget for 2013-14 that contains a $2.6 million spending increase, or 3.97 percent, over current levels.

Nearly all of the increase is driven by three areas: special education ($1.35 million), salary increases ($900,000) and full-day kindergarten ($355,000), according to school board Chairman David Joy.

The school board was able to reduce the increase through efficiencies, such as reducing staff, Joy said.

Most councilors supported the budget without reservations.

“I think the board has a very sound budget,” Councilor Jan Snyder said. “They’ve come forth with a solid budget. People move to South Windsor for the education system.”

Councilor Cary Prague said that he backed the budget despite a potentially high tax increase this year because it was “money spent wisely”

Prague described recent years in which the school district had come in with spending increases below 3 percent. Any budget surpluses weren’t spent, but were instead invested in the pension fund.

The lone dissenting vote was by Town Councilor Dr. Saud Anwar, who called on the council to wait until the general government budget public hearing had been held before any decisions were made on the overall budget.

Anwar said he was most concerned about school security, which would be included in the town government’s capital projects budget. Anwar said that people should be able to have a “global perspective” before any final decisions were made.

Anwar was not alone. Mayor Tom Delnicki said that he supported the school board’s budget, but that in the future no final votes should be cast until all of the public hearings had been held.

“The Town Council has never voted on either budget without being done [with public hearings],” said Delnicki before referring cryptically to an “extenuating circumstance” that proved to be an exception rather than the rule.

Town Manager Matthew Galligan also appeared not to like the idea of the schools budget passing unscathed.

Galligan told the council that, if the town government’s proposed budget were to pass, then there would be an average of a 5 to 6 percent tax increase on residents. The average household would realize a $347 annual tax increase, according to Galligan.

The town manager predicted that the council wouldn’t pass that budget and, instead, would cut the town government budget.

“I am a little concerned,” Galligan said.

Galligan’s concerns did not appear to be unfounded.

Delnicki said that he did not think that taxpayers can afford “a jump like that.”

Town Councilor Keith Yagaloff also said that he wanted to take a closer look at the town’s operating budget.

Regardless, several councilors said that the time time was right to vote on the school side of the budget.

“It’s appropriate; we’re ready to vote,” Town Councilor Kevin McCann said. “We know what [the budget] is. There are no surprises.”

Prague also rebutted Anwar's concerns about school safety.

"Our schools are safe," said Prague, adding that he was "disgusted with what Enfield did [by approving armed security guards at every school next year]. I would move out of town [if South Windsor] did that."

A visibly relieved Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kate Carter said outside council chambers that she was thrilled with the result.

“I was very pleased that the Town Council nearly unanimously supported the budget and characterized it as reasonable and transparent,” Carter said.