Milford School Officials Pitch 2.3 Percent Budget Increase

MILFORD, CT — Milford school officials proposed a 2.28 percent increase to the 2022-2023 budget. Much of the increase is tied to rising costs of everything from salaries to electricity.

About 85 percent of the increase comes without doing anything new, Superintendent Anna Cutaia said during a recent Board of Finance meeting.

“I believe that is because our team did a great job looking for efficiencies and cutbacks as we move forward in making plans for next year,” she said.

Cost savings enabled the school system to propose some improvements, Board of Education Chairwoman Susan Glennon said.

“This budget blends our desire to continue some of the initiatives that were disrupted by COVID, while also addressing significant needs of our young people that have been exacerbated to an extent by COVID,” she said.

The Board of Finance’s final budget vote is scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Salaries are increasing 2 to 3 percent on average for all employees. Salaries and benefits make up about 77 percent of the entire school system budget.

Transportation costs will go up about 3 percent.

The cost of electricity and natural gas have also increased. Fresh air ventilation use was increased significantly to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, and that has led to significantly higher electric bills for the school district, Cutaia said.

The district also had to seek out a separate insurance policy for cyberattacks.

Increased pandemic-related federal funding was used to pay for 13 certified full-time positions during the 2021-2022 school year. Four of those positions are included in the regular 2022-2023 budget proposal to avoid a funding cliff when the funds run out, Cutaia said.