Tagged: budget

Feeling The Heat, Mayor Jumps In BOE Budget Fracas

The war being waged by the Republican controlled BET and BOE is getting to the Mayor. On Friday he issued a press release:

In the hopes that we can work out an agreement that will be fair to everyone, the Teachers, Administrators, Taxpayers, but more importantly for the students. I have sent the following mail to the parties involved.  I believe that the time for recrimination is over and that we need to join to work out an agreement.  There has been enough heat generated, we now need to shed more light.

The email below was sent to parties involved:

Dr. Susan Marks, Superintendent of Schools

Jack Chiaramonte

Bruce Mellion

Anthony Ditrio

I am aware of and admire the level of commitment each of you is making to the effort to ensure this year’s budget is directed in a manner that best ensures a continuation of our shared commitment to quality education for all Norwalk children.  That your point of view may occasionally be presented with the passion of your belief is not only understandable but respectable.

Having said as much the time has come for composed conversation regarding how best we, on behalf of all teachers, administrators, students and citizens, can best proceed to set a plan for the coming year that we can afford, that protects jobs, that ensures appropriate class size and support, and that provides for a level of harmony as we work together on our mutual mission.

Therefore, this invites you to join me to diplomatically discuss how best to advance.  I am confident that we can emerge from such a meeting with at the very least an agreed upon demeanor for ongoing discussions.  It is my hope that we may also discover mutual ground for ultimate agreement.  In anticipation that you agree that such a meeting is in our best interests, please let me know when in the coming days you may be available.

Mayor Richard A. Moccia

Rep. Gail Lavielle Questions State Budget

from a press release:

HARTFORD – State Representative Gail Lavielle (R-143) today expressed deep concern about the levels of tax and spending increases in Governor Dannel Malloy’s proposed budget.

“Connecticut is facing annual deficits of more than $3.5 billion for the foreseeable future,” said Rep. Lavielle. “I had hoped to see every reasonable opportunity to reduce expenses explored before any tax increases were even considered. Not only does this proposal not do that, but it actually increases spending significantly.”

The governor’s proposal increases state spending by $900 million over the next two years, according to Gov. Malloy’s own budget director Ben Barnes. This jump in spending brings with it more than $1.5 billion in tax increases in each of the next two years – the largest tax increase in Connecticut’s recent history.

“In addition to the tax and spending increases, I found a number of other elements in the proposal disappointing,” said Rep. Lavielle. “Although the governor has recommended many important agency consolidations, they generate only about $10 million in savings. That will hardly make a dent in the deficit. There are no asset sales. There is no shifting of services to the private or nonprofit sector. And there is no relief from unfunded mandates on towns.”

Rep. Lavielle concluded, “Governor Malloy began his speech today by stating that job creation was the primary driver behind his proposal. Yet he offered little insight into how the budget would help to create a more fertile climate for jobs by making the state more attractive to businesses. Certainly the proposed tax increases will make the environment even more difficult for small business owners, who represent about 70% of our state’s economy.”

Stamford Has $1.9 Million Budget Surplus

So Stamford has a nearly $2 million dollar operating budget surplus and do you know why? Just look at the south end! They’re building stuff. Commercial, big project stuff. Because Stamford invests in itself and bonds out to do infrastructure improvements so they can get things moving.

Remember what Norwalk’s legislative priority has been? Bueller ….. Bueller? Well, Ill just have to fire up the way back machine and just recap every dumb decision this body of elected flunkies has managed to mangle, muddle and spindle into death by obstruction. And let’s n0t let them off the hook with the old economy sucks excuse. Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Fairfield, and Darien are all building. We instead can’t even figure out how to get $5 million that was sits allocated to the City of Norwalk because our elected officials want to play a pissing contest over which developer should “benefit” from it.  Forget what part of Norwalk might need to get with the 20th century let alone the 21st century.

From the Advocate:

Most notably, the city saw better-than-expected building department permit revenues, with such permits bringing in roughly $4.4 million, or $1.4 million above the city’s $3 million estimate, which Privitera called “conservative.” Building permit revenue has been declining since a high of $8.5 million in 2006-07, last year totaling $6.5 million.

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Malloy Creates Working Groups To Tackle Policy

from a press release:

GOVERNOR-ELECT MALLOY ANNOUNCES POLICY WORKING GROUPS

Thought leaders will help gather input in specific policy areas

(HARTFORD, CT) – In a meeting with his Transition Team, Governor-Elect Dan Malloy today announced the leaders of his policy working groups. These groups, which are still being formed, will work with Policy Transition Team co-chairs Linda Kelly and Joe McGee to gather input in specific policy areas. Additional names will be added to the list. Continue reading →

Guest View: NPS Maintenance and Facilities

By Lisa Brinton Thomson

December 1, 2010

To:   Messrs. Chiarmonte, Colarossi, Hempstead and Wilms

Cc:  Dr. Marks

I’m writing to you over concerns I still have regarding the 2011-2012 Preliminary Capital Budget request from the NPS Facilities and Maintenance Department.    The state of our economy and education at both a national and state level cannot be ignored as we consider our own circumstances here in the City of Norwalk.    Please consider the larger educational REFORM picture when casting your vote on how best to incur city capital expenses in education:

Does it decrease the achievement gap in Norwalk?

  • Connecticut has the largest achievement gap in the country.  Norwalk represents that gap given the diverse racial and socio-economics of our school district.
  • The state recently received an application by Reverend Lindsay Curtis for a new Charter School at the elementary level. This is an effort to deal with Norwalk’s achievement gap with its students in South Norwalk, who lack their own local school and who, as a subgroup suffer the lowest performance scores on the CMTs.
  • The school that seems to be the most in need of construction and renovation, with one of the largest student populations, and the only Norwalk school visible from an intra-state (Route 7), has been placed at the bottom of the construction list.

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Guest View: The BOE Capital Budget Requests

By Sue Haynie

Capital Budget Letter to the Editor

The recession has created a fiscal austerity for public schooling that is being called the ‘New Normal’, with predictions that the effects of this recession could last 5 years or longer. Few have money to spare–not the Feds, not the State, not the City and certainly not the taxpayer. The Norwalk Board of Education (BOE) will be voting on the BOE Finance Committees 5 year, approximately $35+/- million Preliminary Capital Budget request on December 6th.  Has the BOE done its due diligence, or has it shirked it’s duty and left the hard questions for other government bodies to wrangle with? In times like these, when the BOE asks for $35+/- million of taxpayer money, there should be real clear answers to questions such as— Is the bulk of this request based on a solid plan of action and solid data? Was the process as transparent as it should have been? Were the tough questions asked—and answered? Is it equitable? Does this request make sense at this time, right now?  Have all alternatives been fully investigated? My feeling is that the answer to all these questions is a ‘no’.

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Never breaking stride, Malloy makes candidacy official.

One week ago today, Dan Malloy officially became a candidate for Governor.
Video:


Malloy continued his torrid pace of appearances, appearing on WFSB’s Face the State, answering questions from panelists Daniela Altimari of The Hartford Courant, Ted Mann of The Day, and host Dennis House.
Video (thanks to ctblogger):


Malloy’s Sunday appearances included a conversation with Connecticut Newsmakers host Tom Monahan.
Video (thanks again to ctblogger):


There’s more after the jump…
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J-I editorial: Time’s up for Rell

Whatever it is about Chris Powell, I find myself noticing his editorials a lot. Here is the first example of Connecticut’s professional press, to the best of my knowledge, calling Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell out for doing what it is she always does.

Excerpt:

… Rell’s time for mere posturing is up. To get a budget the governor now will have to start spending the political capital she has amassed in the opinion polls. It apparently will be spent to appease the government class …

Powell cannot be accused of having a liberal bias.

Worth reading. Continue reading →