Proposed New London school budget shows almost $8 million increase

Yahoo

12-02-2025

New London — The Board of Education this week will begin discussing — and likely reducing — a nearly $56 million budget plan for 2025-26 that's $7.8 million more than the current spending plan.
The proposal is heating up already simmering disagreements between the mayor and the school board president over how to craft an education budget.
Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie's proposed spending plan was created, at the board's direction, as a 'same services' budget that includes the costs for all current staffing and programs based on contractual increases and inflation.
It comes with a 16.3% increase.
'As was expected ... this rolled up number is very high,' she wrote in her budget introductory section.
But Mayor Michael Passero said the potential cost of Ritchie's proposal to taxpayers is even more than stated, since it already incorporates state Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funding.
'Since ECS is level funded, the increase to taxpayer portion is 30.6%, double what's being presented,' Passero said on Tuesday.
His comment came a week after he publicly warned the board to not forward a budget with an increase higher than 4%, or $1 million.
Ritchie's $55.9 million proposal would be funded with $33.5 million in local taxes and $22.4 million in ECS funding, according to a city finance document. Passero said that after since seeing projected state revenue for the city, the 4% cap, which anticipated a school budget no higher than $49.1 million, may still be too expensive.
It might be possible the (board's budget) will be flat-funded," he said, adding Ritchie's proposal was "not a budget."
Ritchie noted the board this week will discuss her 'further recommendations for potential savings,' which could reduce the budget request by about $3 million. Those savings would still leave a budget with a 10% increase.
"That's still a $5 million increase and not realistic, Passero said.
Board President Elaine Maynard-Adams said Tuesday the board directed Ritchie months ago to create a same-services budget proposal.
'If there was anything new in the plan, we directed (Ritchie) to tell us how we're paying for it and to justify any new programs,' Maynard-Adams said. 'I know the mayor is saying to keep the budget at 4%, but sorry, he's a little late to the party; we gave our marching orders back in October. The board's job is to advocate for staff and students.'
Maynard-Adams, who said Passero misunderstands the board's budget responsibilities, said Ritchie's plan will be reduced before it hits the mayor's desk in March.
Ritchie's total budget proposal comes to $88.3 million, after $32.3 million in various state, federal and competitive grants are included, up from the $84.2 million — which included $25.6 million in local taxpayer supported funding — approved by the City Council in the current budget.
The major reasons for the increase include an additional $2.3 million in employee raises; $709,000 more in health insurance costs; just over $1 million more in tuition for special education students; $44,000 in increased unemployment costs; and nearly $95,000 more in liability insurance due to construction at the Bennie Dover Jackson Multi-Magnet Middle School Campus.
Another $2.3 million is allotted for the preschool operations at the Early Childhood Center at B.P. Mission. The center's finances got a last-minute boost in May 2024 thanks to a $2 million infusion of federal COVID-19 relief funds approved by the state legislature.
Ritchie's proposal includes several ways to save money such as cutting $209,000 by eliminating two B.P Mission teaching positions; a $107,500 cut in overtime; $76,000 less for tutors of home-bound students and a $120,000 drop in contracted services.
Ritchie anticipates another $3 million in savings through 'consolidation, innovation and possible new revenue streams.'
The board is slated to meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the district's Welcome Center, 3 Shaws Cove, to discuss Ritchie's proposal.
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