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Trumbull residents urge Board of Finance to fully fund Board of Education budget
Summary
At a March 12 public hearing, dozens of Trumbull residents and students urged the Board of Finance to fully fund the Board of Education budget, warning cuts would harm after-school programs, special education and teacher retention; Chair Lainie McHugh said no cuts had been made as of the hearing.
Dozens of Trumbull residents and students told the Board of Finance on March 12 that proposed cuts to the Board of Education budget would harm after-school activities, special education services and teacher retention.
Board of Finance Chair Lainie McHugh opened the public hearing and explained public-comment procedures, noting that, "as of tonight, there have been no cuts to the education budget," and reminding attendees that the Board of Education budget is treated as a line item and, once allocated, the town’s elected officials have limited control over individual BOE line items.
The hearing centered on repeated appeals from parents, students and advocates to preserve current school services. Electra Ferriello urged officials to provide a higher allocation to the BOE, saying she "fears the impact on students with the proposed cuts." Several speakers specifically asked that after-school programming—cited by a Hillcrest student, Charly Misner—remain intact. Other commenters, including Kate Engeldrum and Jenny Zambrano, emphasized continued funding for Special Education programs.
Some speakers said they would accept higher taxes rather than see programs cut. "Supports the budget even if it necessitates a tax increase," one commenter said, echoing multiple residents who framed full funding as a priority over avoiding a tax rise. At the same time, Dana Lamber-Monaco, a senior resident, said she could not afford a tax increase and feared she would be forced to leave town if taxes rose.
Resident Evan Farr outlined broader fiscal pressures facing Trumbull, warning of a projected 4% increase in this year’s budget, a possible 10–15% residential tax-burden shift due to revaluation, an expected 2% per year baseline cost growth, and significant additional increases needed to cover long-term debt service tied to the town’s capital plan.
Speakers urged the Board to consider staff retention and institutional knowledge, with multiple commenters warning that losing teachers would reduce experience across the district. Several urged the Board to exceed the BOE request or at minimum fully fund it as presented.
The hearing closed at 8:41 p.m.; Chair McHugh announced the next public hearing for March 21 at 10:00 a.m. at Madison Middle School.
