Easton Board of Education Passes 2.31% Budget Increase

On Tuesday, the Easton Board of Education unanimously approved a 2.31 percent increase for the 2011-2012 school budget.

The new budget will come in at $15,020,975, an increase of $337,426 from last year's budget. If the public accepts this budget, on average, each Easton household would see a $136 increase in taxes.

Last month Michael Cicchetti, superintendent of schools, but levied a directive on all his administrators and staff to come up with viable cuts to see if they could attempt reaching a zero percent increase.

Finance Director Peggy Sullivan presented the draft worksheet (available as a .pdf on this article) indicating the operating increases requested and those requests, which could be reduced or eliminated from the budget.

Each of the schools principals then did a line item presentation on what could be eliminated and how it would affect the program at large, perhaps giving Eastonites a better idea of just how far their tax dollars go.

After easily dismissing $130,000 of technical edits and reductions, which included savings from a new transportation contract ($33,869), health insurance ($4,000), an additional $10,000 in anticipated health insurance savings, a $65,000 savings in teacher salaries based on the retirement of two teachers and the special education budget reduction of $17,000.

The biggest concern regarding the budget cuts was the $116,000 worth of cuts to and how it would impact the students next year and in the years to come. As interim Principal Lyn Merrill and Assistant Principal Sue Kaplan presented the cuts, the grumbling from the 20 or so Eastonites who attended and some of the board members was quelled when Merrill stated the district feels "very comfortable with the changes.” She added that “these cuts were in the long term plan of the school going forward.”

At that point the budget was at an increase of 2.20%, when board members Glenn Maiorano and John Allan pushed to add $15,000 to the budget (.11%) for a panic button for summoning the police department to Helen Keller ( has such a button), and monies to repair gutters and asphalt that will fall outside warranties and this school years budget.

Cicchetti thanked those for their work on the budget.

“I want to congratulate everyone on the quality of work that was put in to make this cut list,” he said.

Afterward Cicchetti told Patch that he would have liked to have had his initial request approved, but that the passion the Easton staff has for providing the best quality education for the students will prevail no matter what the economic climate is, proving that Easton residents' tax dollars go a long way when it comes to the education of their children.

In an upside note to budget cuts and the quality of education Easton students receive, Helen Keller Middle School will be receiving a Federal Blue Ribbon award as a result of their students' recent CMT scores in math and reading.

The next board meeting is scheduled for March 8.