Quotes From Public Comment

Amy Tomasso, Farmington High School senior and Senior Council president:

This budget season I would like to bring a message to you from the students. Every year it’s so easy to get caught up in the little numbers but behind each number there’s a story and a student. Instead of just looking at the full time equivalency or per student expenditure and teacher salaries, I’d like to bring those stories to you.

In the past four years, 26.95 FTEs were cut from the school districts’ budget. Each represents a student’s favorite teacher, mentor, coach and a college recommendation that won’t be written… Whole programs have been cut, especially Latin and culinary - effects of these have been much more widespread. I was personally devastated when Latin was cut. These programs and electives are crucial to students in this formative time of their educational paths as they try to find out what they’re passionate about.

In the 2009-2010 year there were major budget cuts.

I remember students looking at each other saying ‘who will be the next teacher to be cut or the next program to go. It’s a dangerous sentiment for students to have and sad also.

I’ve had a wonderful time in the school system so I appreciate and am grateful but as I reflect, it’s been very hard for me to deal with the fact that my younger siblings and cousins will not have same education that I’ve had and it’s very hard for me to justify why. During this budget season, I ask the council to look favorably on the district’s budget and remember behind each number is a student and a story and this is very impactful to us.”

Liz Fitzsimmons, West District parent and member of Farmington Future:

"I would like to ask the council to take a look at the budget before the March 14 meeting and I ask the Town Council to take the superintendent's recommend budget and the Town Manager’s recommended budget and put those forth to the town to vote on and not cut the budgets. I think the people of the town should vote on those budgets.

I think the superintendent’s budget is a fair budget. The superintendent cut it, then the Board of Education cut it before they got through. This should be a rebuilding year and the town should seize the opportunity given to rebuild the school system.

The cuts made over last few years have been devastating and we haven’t yet seen the effects that we’re going to see in the next few years. I don’t think we want to see those. Students who speak at that these meetings are great examples of the reason people move into their town, the reason property values are what they are …I hope you know the town is behind you and will support you in efforts to make this a rebuilding year."

Ned Statchen, West District parent:

I would ask the council to reconsider the 0-2 percent goals they set for the education budget. Viewing the freeze as an opportunity to make cuts is a mistake. We’re far behind in technology. We’ve been waiting to buy more computers for the schools, to provide wifi access. These are things we should be doing if we want to keep our schools present with technology …. I was reading CT Magazine and they came out with new rankings. It’s very clear in their rankings: education is the one concern everybody has, that's most important when people are ranking towns. If we want to keep property values the way they are right now we need to take care of our schools. We’ve been putting off these roof repairs for a long time – with a little extra money we should be considering these things, not setting a lower goal. I know the Town Council is asking for delay on revaluation… It’s a definite concern how the economy has hurt some revaluations in all towns but if you continue to make cuts in education, that’s going to make a far greater impact than a one-year delay in revaluation.