Vernon 2023-24 Education Budget Proposal: By The Numbers

VERNON, CT — Vernon Superintendent of Schools Joseph Macary has submitted a proposed budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year that tops $58 million.

It's now in the hands of the Board of Education, which has scheduled a series of workshops leading up to a Feb. 6 vote. Once approved, it then goes to Mayor Daniel Champagne.

Here's glance at the budget:

• Bottom line: $58,293,050
• Percentage increase: 4.5
• Dollar increase: $2,517,572
• Proposed teacher layoffs: Zero
• Staff reductions: 16 full-time equivalent
• Economic factors for increase: Transportations costs, utilities, magnet school tuition, increase in IRS mileage and social security, medical claims that topped $1 million
• Loss of state grants for staffing: $2 million

Macary said there was "no easy solution" to arriving at a bottom line and added that retirements and attrition were contributing factors to the reduction in staffing.

"Ive never laid off teacher in my life and I never want to," he said. "They are all important positions but the faculty will remain fully staffed."

Macary said social security went up 8 percent and inflation has also been hovering at the 8 percent mark.

"And that's double our percentage increate," he said.

This year's budget increase is at 1.35 percent.