Bedford School District Warrant Article Breakdown

Dear Neighbors:

Chapter 2: Covering my impressions of the Bedford School District Ballot. Chapter 1 on the Town Budget Deliberative Session was published on Feb. 22 in Patch. Later this week, Chapter 3 covering Article 06 Petition Warrant Article on a Tax Cap will conclude this year’s March 11th Voting Day coverage. If unable to vote in person March 11th, please vote by absentee ballot. The School District Warrant:

Article 01. Election of Officials

Article 02. (Please refer to former BSB Chair Jay Nash’s February 10th Patch article. In summary, cost wise, Jay calculates a $1,015 million dollar estimated cost for 2025-2026 if voters approve Article 02 Warrant Article - Full Day Kindergarten (FDK). He notes that with the lost revenue of $650,000/year from the K-Plus after school play-based program, the parent-paid (not taxes) revenue goes to $0.00.)

The 125 K-Plus attendees, who stay after their half-day kindergarten, would become students of the FDK and their parents will save $5200/year in daycare costs. The Business Administrator recently reported that the K-Plus revenue is up $70,000 over projections. The taxpayer will pick up the FDK cost while the district and taxpayers lose $720,000 in K-Plus revenue.

The district is projecting 244 full day kindergarteners for 2025-2026 school year. No one really knows how many kindergarten-aged children from private programs will enroll next fall if FDK is approved. If the projected 244 children were to enroll, 7-8 teachers will need to be hired. If more than the anticipated children arrive, of course more teachers would be needed. Currently, a new teacher's annual salary and benefits is $106,000. With high inflation and spiking local property taxes, is it the wrong time to start up a full day kindergarten especially since the current half-day kindergarteners receive the entire state-recommended kindergarten curriculum in their 2.4 hours, according to administration? Then there are the folks who believe all 5-year-old children should not be compelled to attend FDK. Pushing kids into early academic settings can have a negative impact on their behavior, according to HarvardHealth.edu (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/younger-kindergarteners-more-likely-to-be-diagnosed-with-adhd-2019011215756) If FDK is approved by the voters, the Operating Budget combined with FDK price tag goes from $90.9 million to $92 million. The teachers’ contract adds another $6,000,000 over the next 3 years.

Article 03. This is the teachers’ 3-year proposed contract with 5.75%, 5.65% and 5.5% increases in addition to the automatic Steps. The contract ending this year was 4%, 3% and 3%. If Article 03 is not approved by the voters, which will not be the first time a teachers’ contract is rejected, the team would return to the negotiations table. Is the total 16.9% increase too high of a tax burden?

Article 04. This is a conditional article, if approved, where the district can call a special meeting to address Article 03 cost items only. If the voters defeat the teachers’ contract, it’s back to the negotiations table.

Article 05. FY26 Operating Budget of $90,909,204 is $795,987 higher than FY25 operating budget of $90,113,217. FY24 was $86,972,593. With the significant decrease in student numbers, the budget still increased over the 3 year period by $3,936,611. Of the 836 current employees compared to 756 last year, approximately 300 are professional teachers. The district notes there is a projected 612 student decline from 2018 to 2026 (4525 to 3924).

Bedford’s FY26 Proposed Budget Administration Non-Union Wages’ grand total is $4,013,090. The highest proposed admin salary is $171,374. The non-union proposed admin wages are in the Operating Budget. Should the $90,909,204 Operating Budget be defeated, the default budget will be $89,830,712 which is the “same as last year, with certain adjustments…” With the inverse relationships of increased hiring (many more non-teachers than professional teachers), the cumulative decline in student numbers and the ever-increasing budgets, resulting in steep property tax burdens, isn’t it reasonable to consider the default budget this year? (See above graphic).

You may have heard that a good number of residents are distressed by their 2024 property tax bills; a product of both the town and school district’s perpetual spending on wants versus needs. In my opinion, on the school side, FDK is desired by some parents. The teachers’ 16.9% increase is too high in this tight fiscal climate. Overall, this may not be the best time for Bedford to take on these additional obligations and the tax burden outcome.

The Article 06 Citizen Petition Warrant Article: In accordance with RSA 32:5-b, to see if there is interest in adopting a tax cap. This article will be covered in Chapter 3 later on this week.

Remember Vote March 11th 7:00 am - 7:00 pm. It is voting day for both the Town and School District’s warrant articles and election of local officials. It is the first time we vote on the Town warrant articles by way of the Official Ballot form of government that you, the voter, made happen.

Linda Rea Camarota

Bedford