Tesoro Makes New Budget Recommendation After State Budget Passes

TRUMBULL, CT — First Selectman Vicki Tesoro has recommended that the Board of Finance and Town Council take around $510,000 that was meant to cover teacher pensions and transfer it to the Board of Education.

The move comes after the General Assembly passed a budget that doesn't shift any burden onto towns to pay part of teacher pensions. It also gives more Education Cost Sharing money than what Gov. Ned Lamont proposed earlier this year.

Tesoro crafted a worst case scenario budget with the assumption that Lamont's proposal would pass.

“As promised, I will recommend to the Board of Finance and the Town Council that the monies set aside for the teacher pension expense totaling $510,870 be transferred to the Board of Education,” Tesoro said. "If this recommendation is approved, the total increase to the Board of Education budget will be $2.5 million, a 2.5% increase over last year. “The ECS adjusted revenue should remain in the Town budget to further offset the mill rate and ensure that the tax burden on residents is kept to a minimum.”

Tesoro and Trumbull's state representatives among other local leaders advocated hard not to shift part of the teacher pension burden onto towns.

“I want to thank all of our residents who contacted Trumbull’s State Delegation and State elected officials to express your concerns with the potential loss in funding. Your emails and calls alerting our officials to the negative impact a $1.2 million reduction would have on our town and schools made a difference,” Tesoro said.“When we work together, we can do great things for the town of Trumbull.”