Small Crowd Attends Budget Hearing

A sparse crowd of about 25 residents attended the mandatory public hearing on the town's 2011-12 budget proposal Wednesday night at Enfield High School.

Just eight citizens spoke at the hearing, which began with budget overviews by Town Manager Matt Coppler and Board of Education Chairman Greg Stokes.

The majority of the residents who spoke in front of Town Council and Board of Education members praised those panels for creating a budget proposal which will result in a zero tax increase for the third straight year.

Coppler presented a $113.8 million budget to the council last month, which would keep the mill rate stable at 23.88. A mill is equivalent to one dollar for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

The majority of the budget, $62.7 million, is for education. That figure represents flat funding from the 2010-11 school year.

Jack Sheridan of Buchanan Road, president of the Enfield Taxpayers Association, thanked the council and school board for "holding the line on the mill rate." He did voice his concern over the school board's allotment of $837,400 for substitute teachers.

Stokes replied to Sheridan's concern by stating, "In actuality, it hasn't risen as much as people think." He said the substitute teacher budget has increased just 5 percent in the last five years.

Margaret Jedziniak of Abbe Road called for elimination of the school system's tenure program for teachers, and disputed a point about fixed costs. "I never understood fixed costs, because fixed costs can be negotiated," she said.

Pat Dennis of Peggy Lane asked the council to be generous in funding for the Enfield Senior Center, while Joe Albert of Columbia Road urged officials to concentrate on what is needed, and what is wanted.

Near the end of the 85-minute session, Mayor Scott Kaupin addressed the possible harmful effect of a cut in state aid to the town. "The number being floated around in state aid loss is $11 million," he said. "We couldn't absorb that; it could mean up to a 15 percent tax increase."

By town charter, the final budget needs to be approved by May 18. The 2011-12 fiscal year begins July 1, 2011.