Residents urge BET to preserve City Council's 4.9% school funding cap to avoid staff and program cuts

Dozens of Norwalk residents told the Board of Estimate and Taxation on March 25 that trimming school funding below the City Council's 4.9% cap would force painful cuts to classrooms and student services.

Speakers ranged from Board of Education leaders to parents and teachers who said the 0.9 percentage-point difference between the council's 4.9% and the mayor's initial 4% recommendation translates to roughly $2.2 million targeted for school-based budgets.

"It is critical that at the very least our budget remains at the 4.9% increase approved by the City Council," said Ashley Gulias, Board of Education secretary and a parent, adding that the extra 0.9% was intended to keep school leadership from making budget-related cuts at the school level. "To decrease this amount would directly impact schools and would bring about uncertainty that is deeply unfair to our educators and our children."

Board representatives warned of additional cost pressures. Howard White, speaking on behalf of the board chair and other members, said rising insurance costs could create a roughly $3 million shortfall that would cascade into program and staffing reductions unless the city and unions find savings.

Parents and school-governance leaders echoed the same theme. "This budget is not about growth, it's about stability," said Nadine Francis, PTO Council president, urging BET to "please fully fund the 4.9% school budget." Nick Zerzan, a parent and School Governance Council member, said special-education services are "really stretched thin and dangerously close to being out of compliance" if funding is cut.

Several speakers noted that the Board of Education originally approved a 6.5% increase, while the mayor recommended 4% and the City Council raised the cap to 4.9%. That 0.9% difference was described repeatedly as money intended to protect student-facing positions.

Board of Education finance chair Sherry Pritchett told the hearing BET and the administration are working with union leadership to address healthcare costs, but she warned that continuing losses of staff would undermine recent progress in student outcomes.

Those testifying said they understood tax pressures on households but urged BET to weigh long-term costs of cuts to education. "We're not asking for more, we're asking you to protect what is already in place," said Amanda Robbins, a parent.

The hearing closed without a vote; BET members said they were collecting public input for deliberations to follow.