Activity Fees Spark Debate During Education Budget Talks

Parents are shelling out thousands of dollars a year in combined activity fees for student athletes, band and club members at Masuk High School. It wasn't always this way, but when the Board of Education has not gotten the kind of budget increases it has asked for, this money was used to pay for other needs.

School board member, Tom Taylor, says this places an unfair burden on families and he wants the practice to stop.

"I will look for a budget with no activities fee or surcharges for athletics and after school activities," Taylor said during Monday night's board meeting. "If it doesn't pass, take it out, but we owe it to our parents to put it in the first time."

Fellow board member, Donna Lane, disagreed.

"In the state, most school systems are going to pay-for-play," she said. "I wouldn't be in favor of totally eliminating it."

Though, Lane said she may support bringing back a cap on how much a family with more than one child participating in after school activities would have to pay.

Taylor also contends that money for any needed maintenance should be included in the budget proposal, as well. He believes it is the board's responsibility to put the best possible budget proposal before voters and allow them to decide.

This was just one of the issues discussed that night, as Board of Education members shared their thoughts with Supt. of Schools Colleen Palmer. The superintendent is in the process of working with administrators to come up with an education budget proposal for the 2011-12 school year.

"We are trying to aggressively bring our budget in as low as possible, while maintaining a quality level of education," Palmer said. "Any increase will not be as significant as last year."

Not all in black and white

The operating budget for Monroe Public Schools is currently $50.5 million.

"I asked the Board of Education to come in under two percent," First Selectman Steve Vavrek said of any spending increase.

Palmer said it's too early in the process to determine whether or not Vavrek's goal is a realistic one, but at the meeting, she noted there are two things working in the school district's favor this year.

The recently negotiated teachers' contract includes a wage freeze in the first year and higher health insurance premiums for teachers. There has also been an unusually high number of claims this year, so Palmer expects savings from a lower number this coming year.

It is estimated that the school district will save $400,000 in the first year of the contract due to the higher premiums teachers will pay. But Palmer stressed that does not mean that money will be left over.

"Health care costs will continue to increase every year," she explained. "If we anticipate the cost will go up by 12 percent, we hope the savings will mitigate that increase."

The savings on salaries also includes gray areas.

Though the teachers have a hard wage freeze, Palmer pointed out that there are six other bargaining units the district is still negotiating with.

"We're looking at a three percent assumption," she said of potential raises. "It may not even be set when the budget passes in April," Palmer added with a smile, noting how she said April.

Last year, it took three referendums before voters adopted a town budget. Both Vavrek and Palmer are hoping it will pass on the first try this time around.

About those fees ...

Lane's main argument against an outright elimination of the high school activity fees is that the timing is bad in these economic times.

"Why is this year different than any other year we've had?" Taylor asked. "We always try to go as low as possible and move forward."

"Last year we requested a seven percent increase," Lane said. "The economy doesn't look good. We should look at a very low increase."

Though he and his wife no longer have children enrolled in the school system, Board of Education member, Mark Antinozzi said they have no problem paying higher taxes for Monroe public schools.

"But I think this year we have to look to streamline our budget to the thinnest degree," Antinozzi added. "I don't mind paying for it, but a lot of people can't, and I don't want to see them penalized, so I like the idea Tom, but we can't."