Did our Mayor/King think he could sit on his throne, make a decree about how much the BOE would get, and that would be it? How about a little two-way communication? There is obviously no love lost between our Mayor/King and Mrs. Cornish.

May be if we had a Town Attorney with Political Pull, like representing 33 CT.
Boards of Education, and was capable of “working for the peoples’ benefit,”
then
1. Federal MANDATES would be PAID.
2. CT MANDATES would be PAID.
3. PAST unpaid Federal & State MANDATES would be PAID.

Wait, how could ANY ATTORNEY go to a COURT to DEMAND writs of MANDAMUS,
for the FEDS & STATE to pay M A N D A T E S ?
And PAY, unpaid M A N D A T E S?

You read it in the Post (Never in the Star)

Council considers proposed ed cuts
RICHARD WEIZEL
Article Last Updated: 05/06/2008 12:36:54 AM EDT

STRATFORD — The Town Council grilled Supt. of Schools Irene Cornish and other school officials Monday on why it should restore any or all of Mayor James R. Miron’s $1.1 million cut to the school board’s proposed $89 million budget.

Under the mayor’s overall proposed 2008-09 budget of $175.5 million, an increase of 2.25 percent from this year’s, the tax rate would rise to 30.87 mills, or a $139 tax increase on a house assessed at $185,000.

But Miron’s proposed budget trims $1.1 million from the school district’s proposed $89 million spending plan, threatening creation of new classes and expansion of current ones, as well as “impeding the progress we have made the last few years,” said Cornish. She said the school board needs its requested 5.93 percent increase to “meet increasingly stringent” federal guidelines mandated in the “No Child Left Behind” legislation.

Miron’s proposal would mean an education budget increase of 4.65 percent above the current year, but for the second year in a row would be substantially lower than the school board request.

The potential reduction last week drew parents, teachers, students and even senior citizens to two budget hearings, where they made a plea for the council to restore the mayor’s cuts.

“Even if we eliminated all the new programs and additional teachers in the budget we would still only be down to a $5.2 percent increase and would need to cut $400,000 more from the budget to reduce it to the numbers the mayor is recommending,” Cornish told the council.

However, Cornish did have some good news for the council, advising members she was informed Monday that a new in-school suspension program mandated by — but not paid for by the state — will not go into effect until July 2009 instead of this summer, as originally planned. The new program would have required four additional tutors at a cost of $110,000 to the school district in the upcoming budget.

Some council leaders suggested eliminating the proposed $420,000 in the school board’s contingency account to reduce costs and save programs. “I believe by taking out funds for the contingency account you could cover some other programs you consider vital,” said Town Council Minority Leader Alvin O’Neal, D-2. “If these programs are that important to the children of Stratford, the contingency account could be used to cover the costs.” Council Majority Leader Michael Henrick, R-10, agreed.

“I know it can be kind of scary to go into a budget year without a contingency account, but I would like to see you [school administrators] eliminate it to free those funds up for programs that directly benefit students,” he said. Councilman Gavin Forrester, D-3, asked Cornish what contact the mayor or his administration had had with the school board or administrators regarding the board’s proposed budget before he made his recommended cuts. “None. No contact at all,” Cornish said.

“Do you have any idea why that was the case?” Forrester asked.

“I have no idea,” Cornish said. “You’ll have to ask him.”

The council will question the mayor and his staff in the near future about the municipal budget, and must approve a final budget by the end of the month

It may surprize you that I tried to warn the unions / partisans about
the PENSIONS being rejected predicated on >
> Enron
> United Airlines
> K-Mart
> others

I have ALWAYS believed the DOUBLE CROSS was planned by the DICKS,
B UTTER NUTS, & others
(Dicks = Mirons / Burturlas = Berchem)
(B UTTER NUTS = Butternut lane = Norm, Camillo, O’Connell, Burturla,
B Cabral/DeCilio, Hoydic, et al)

-

I understand Tuesday’s CT POST had an editorial comparing Shelton
& Stratford.
Shelton has 80 % of the population of Stratford, with less than 50 %
of the Taxes, and better Education spending.

Shelton has had SCINTO building 10-20 story Office towers = property
Tax Base.

Shelton has a Volunteer Fire Dept. I favor professionals, with caps.

Shelton / Fairfield have CAPS on PENSIONS vs 30 Years & BASE PAY,
which max out at 30 – 40 % of BASE.
Stratford has NO PENSION CAP, and has been abused, with the TOP
PENSION over $ 49,000 more than the $ 84,000 Base Pay.

-

Freedom of Speach,

Is there such a thing as a free lunch?
I favor good pay, good benefits, good pensions.
If the unions / politicians kept pensions and $ 25 – 30,000 and did not add
golden parachutes and everyone’s relatives to the Defined Benefit Plan,
then the plan would be solvent.

If the PENSIONS go to $ 10,000 a year and if some have to PAY BACK….
NOT my ISSUE, NOT my PROBLEM, NOT my SUGGESTION or SOLUTION >

FACT > K-mart employees each got $ 100 PENSION = Total

FACT > United Airlines AESOP union stock holders got FRACTION of a PENNY
per SHARE of STOCK, per BANKRUPTCY.

FREEDOM,
The average of 10 pensions in JANUARY was $ 84,000 +
2007 average pension was $ 42,000 +
2000s average pension was $ 28 – $ 34,000
2 periods of 3 years each in 1990s average pension was $ 16 – $ 18,000

The 1998 PENSION BOND of $ 95,000,000 was predicated on the PAST or
the FUTURE (abused?)

Joe Crudo’s Town Council (close friend of Norm) turned pension obligation
from the PENSION to REPAY itself, over to the Taxpayers.
Immediately 61 people retired.
Average numbers of annual retirees are / were in 20s.

A stunning 18 % of the BUDGET (not collected taxes, which was about 25%)
was going from the Business and Resident Tax Payers to the Pensioners.

Then, thanks to Re-evaluation (KITED) the percent went down, although
the PENSION started going back up, after 1 – 2 years, after golden parachute.

-

I note that at the State level there are pending laws concerning LOSS of
PENSION related to corruption.

I am simply glad Stratford has NO CORRUPTION, ergo NO PENSION are in any
DANGER?

-

Last point > I am pro union.
I have NEVER been in favor of BAD DEALS for anyone or firing anyone,
my positions fall in line with attrition and proper staffing.
I favor professional police & fire over volunteers.
I favor the PW excellent basket of services.
Most of the highest pensions are managment and not real union people.

The younger police, fire, pw, town hall, are getting the shaft.
Weisel wrote that I said that several months ago, so I am on record,
and my role in the Pension issue is key but trying to protect people’s
legitimate issues.
The younger workers know exactly what is going on and who is involved.
Nationwide there are senior citizens & tax payers rebelling.
I tried to warn people towards moderation.
No good deed goes unpunished!

Is Stratford next? If they find that the books (that meet FASB) are well off a little, could this happen there? Is Stratford in a similar situation?

W. Haven shocked to learn state may take over finances
Letter to council cites ‘cash flow crisis’, late audit

http://www.nhregister.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily;jsessionid=tncpLYvXNTFmBhH00nh1D9yJXRgNpDw1zGG4JSVTLqtQ3yvy40pS!1202544058?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FNHR%2FHome&r21.content=%2FNHR%2FHome%2FTopStoryList_Story_1972609

Are they going down that road, or are they more financialy sound?