School Budget Public Hearing Draws One City Resident

The Portsmouth School Board's first public hearing for the proposed $39.8 million fiscal year 2014 budget drew just one city resident who made his voice heard.

Mark Brighton criticized the proposed 3.99 percent increase sought by School Superintendent Ed McDonough as being too high. Brighton said the overall increase of $1,528,649 represents the equivalent of 20 teaching positions.

He said city taxpayers would be better served with a proposed budget that did not exceed 1.8 percent, which he said is the current rate of inflation.

“If you don’t come up with some idea of how to control this, you are looking at doing something that is twice the rate of inflation,” said Brighton, who is the president of the Association of Portsmouth Taxpayers.

“The unions are able to keep 20 teachers on the backs of the taxpayer. Is that fair? No,” Brighton added.

During his presentation, McDonough explained that the proposed budget seeks an increase that is below the 4 percent ceiling requested by the City Council.

At last week's School Board meeting, McDonough said one of the biggest drivers of expenses facing the Portsmouth Schools are increased contributions that have to be made to the New Hampshire Retirement System. Overall, McDonough said the Portsmouth Schools will have to contribute more than $2.31 million to the state retirement system in fiscal year 2013 and more than $2.94 million in fiscal year 2014.

The next School Board public hearing on the proposed 2014 budget will be held on Feb. 7. The School Board will vote on a final spending package on Feb. 14 that will then go before the City Council for final approval in May.