Most Fairfield residents recognize that strong schools are the foundation of community health and property values. That is why it is so troubling that the Kupchik administration claims to be supporting education while regularly cutting the education budget.
This administration should lead its own actions, especially the budget cuts already discussed and approved by the bipartisan Board of Education.
• 2020: Effective reduction of $600,000 from the approved BOE budget (higher on paper, but also included insurance savings). Note: Due to COVID-19, the final budget was $4.25 million less than the approved amount.
• 2021: $2 million cut from the approved BOE budget, partially offset by $500,000 in anticipated health care savings.
• 2022: Reduce (unanimously) approved BOE budget by $2.5 million. The full amount was returned by the Finance Committee (resulting in a televised criticism by the First Selectwoman).
• 2023: $500,000 cut from BOE budget. Adjusted downward by BOF due to new pension number. The final budget amount was a reduction of just under $500,000 that the BOF approved.
We also see that the school budget accounts for approximately 60 percent of the town’s total budget. However, when $24.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were distributed to Fairfield, City Hall allocated only $1 million for schools (schools across town still have air conditioning and proper air filtration). 4% of the tokens).
The administration’s threats to the education budget are an annual source of worry and anxiety for teachers, parents, and students. This is not “educational support”. As a former BOE member, Brenda certainly knows a lot.
Vote for Gerber/Vitale on November 7th.
kelly mcwhinney
fairfield