Vernon School Official Leads Off State Budget Testimony

HARTFORD, CT — Michael Purcaro, the director of business and finance for the Vernon school system, the town's top emergency management official and an elected member of the Ellington Board of Education led off the testimony on Tuesday during a budgetary hearing hosted by the legislative Appropriations Committee.

He was representing the Connecticut Association of School Business Officials.

Here is his testimony:

"I would like to thank you for the opportunity to present testimony regarding HB 7027 on behalf of the Connecticut Association of School Business Officials.

"My name is Michael Purcaro and I currently serve as the Director of Business and Finance for Vernon Public Schools, the Director of Emergency and Risk Management for the Town of Vernon, and I am a member of the Connecticut Association of School Business Officials (CASBO).

"I am an elected member of the Ellington Board of Education and I volunteer to serve on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE). I have also served for over a decade of my public service career in state and federal government finance and administration, most recently as a former Chief Administrative and Fiscal Officer for a state agency.

"CASBO is a non-profit professional association that represents school business officials throughout the State of Connecticut. School business officials work closely with school boards, administrators, staff, public officials and communities; and we are responsible for most aspects of school business and operations. This includes developing, administering, and monitoring school district budgets. We offer the following comments with respect to the Governor’s proposed biennial budget for fiscal years 2018 and 2019.

"Although the State and the Governor have supported public school education in the past, beginning in fiscal year 2015-2016 we began to see an erosion of this support. First, the Education Cost Share (ECS) grant was cut by $4.1 million as part of the 2015 budget mitigation plan.

"This was followed in fiscal year 2016-2017 by a $4 million reduction to the special education excess cost grant, the total elimination of the school transportation grant of approximately $26 million, and most recently in December of 2016 a mid-year reduction of an additional $20 million to ECS.

"It is also important to note that for the non-alliance school districts, there has been little or no increase to ECS for the past seven years. During this period of time, costs to school districts have increased in health insurance, transportation services, contractual obligations, the implementation of new educational standards, and the additional unfunded mandates that are imposed on local districts.

"The recent state funding cuts have indeed been challenging, however, if the Governor's budget is enacted as proposed, it would be a disaster for many municipalities and school districts across our state. Simply put, this proposed budget shifts the State’s fiscal woes to local municipalities and school districts. While there are many adjustments in the Governor’s budget, we would like to concentrate on the major impacts to education.

"The proposed new ECS formula, the new special education grant that is based on a sliding scale from zero percent to 54 percent, and the transfer of the State’s obligation for one third of the cost of teacher pensions results in a net loss to local municipalities and school districts of $364 million.

"We understand that our most needy local communities may receive more state aid under this budget and we are supportive of this effort. However, the remaining local communities will shoulder the burden of this reallocation with significant negative consequences.

"These consequences may include an increase in local taxes, a reduction to local municipal fund balances (with resulting reductions to credit ratings, higher borrowing costs, and a deterioration of local financial stability), detrimental staffing cuts, deferred maintenance to municipal and school facilities, elimination of support services, extracurricular activities and athletic programs, class size increases, and an overall reduction in critical educational programs and services.

"For many school districts this could result in the elimination of full-day kindergarten programs, high school electives, and other STEM and core curricular opportunities that make our students competitive in a global society. Achieving financial stability and advancing educational excellence to benefit all students in our state takes thoughtful planning and collaboration with local municipalities and school districts.

"The education of our youth is a top priority for all of us. In the communities of Vernon and Ellington our town and school officials work collaboratively to maximize results that benefit both our students and our taxpayers. Proper funding at all levels is important to provide opportunities for successful outcomes. We ask the State to continue to fund its share.

"We appreciate the opportunity to provide input to the Appropriations Committee on these important matters."

Photo Credit: Connecticut Association of School Business Officials