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Residents, school officials urge aldermen not to cut $9.5 million from school budget
Summary
Dozens of residents, school board members and parents urged the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to restore a $9.5 million cut the mayor proposed to the school district's tax‑cap compliant budget, warning of lost programs, larger class sizes and reduced services.
Residents, parents and elected school board members urged the Board of Mayor and Aldermen during public comment to reject a proposed $9.5 million reduction to the Manchester School District budget and to fully fund the unanimously approved school committee request.
Multiple speakers described classroom and facility needs and said cuts would remove services and extracurricular programs that support student success. Jessica Spillers, school board representative for Ward 8, said the mayor previously voted for the superintendent’s budget and criticized the later proposed cuts as a reversal: “$9,500,000 is the cut. Magic math and circuitous explanation isn’t going to change that,” she said.
Speakers cited specific local impacts: Mackenzie Verdiner, a youth organizer, said students described deteriorating school conditions and pressed aldermen to treat students as a city priority. Chris Potter, a Ward 7 school board member, listed cost pressures — salaries, utilities, and added nurses and in‑house transit — and warned that a $9.5 million reduction would force layoffs, expanded bussing radiuses and cuts to extracurriculars that support proficiency and graduation rates.
Parents and community members reiterated common themes: the proposed cuts would risk losing after‑school activities, school staff and critical supports; transportation changes have already led to very early pickup times for some students; and federal funding uncertainties for school lunch programs could add strain. Speakers repeatedly asked aldermen to negotiate and use the board’s role as a check on the mayor’s proposal.
No formal action on the school budget occurred during this meeting; the public comment record was taken under advisement. Several speakers asked aldermen to restore funding or identify alternative savings rather than imposing broad cuts without a line‑item plan.
Ending: The board recorded public comment for consideration; many speakers asked aldermen to use their authority to protect programming and staffing in the Manchester School District and to engage with the school committee’s budget details before approving any cuts.
