Referendum On School Budget May Be In Works

The new town budget for 2009-10 hasn't been adopted yet, but that hasn't stopped some taxpayers from considering a possible referendum challenge.
"We have been getting calls," Town Clerk Betsy Browne said last week. "They are asking how to have a referendum and asking specifically if you can have a referendum on the Board of Education budget."The Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance begin joint public hearings Thursday on the proposed $252.10 million budget, a $6.6 million increase over this year's $245.49 million budget. Of that spending package, $142.6 million is proposed for the Board of Education. The proposed town operating budget totals $82.6 million.
After those boards make their recommendations on the budget, the plan goes to the Representative Town Meeting for final action. Residents have 14 days after the budget is adopted to file petitions with the town clerk's office to call a referendum. Petitions must be signed by no less than 5 percent of the town's registered voters, and to be successful, those voting on the referendum question must exceed 25 percent of the total people eligible to vote as of the day before the last election, as well as be in the majority, according to Browne.
The last budget referendum here was on the 1998-99 budget, proposing cuts not only to the school budget but to several town departments as well. The largest reduction sought, though, was $2 million to the Board of Education, to bring it from the $70.5 million approved by the Representative Town Meeting to $68.5 million. That referendum, however, fell short of cutting any money from the RTM-approved budget.
School board member Pam Iacono, who also serves on the board's Finance, Budget and Community Relations Committee, said she understands that people are worried about town expenditures, particularly in the current economic climate.
"It hasn't gone through the whole budget process yet," Iacono said. "The board's feeling is we've passed the budget and it's moved on to the Board of Finance and Board of Selectmen. It's more of a wait and see time. We hope they'll support the budget."
She said she doesn't know if the school board is open to reconsidering and adjusting its budget. First Selectman Kenneth Flatto has asked school officials to consider freezing pay raises, as it being done by the rest of municipal government, giving up perks like take-home cars, and negotiating givebacks with the unions. READ MORE: http://www.connpost.com/fairfield/ci_11757371