MONROE, CT — A Zoom feed to Thursday night’s budget hearing was shutdown after being hacked by pornographic images, so many residents made the drive to Monroe Town Hall to voice their concerns over the proposed spending plan for fiscal year 2025-26 in person.
Well over 100 people participated. Though some have complained about high taxes and spending via social media, those who spoke at the Board of Finance’s budget hearing all urged officials to restore the $1.85 million cut First Selectman Terry Rooney made to the Board of Education’s proposal, reducing the requested increase from 6.02 to 3.43 percent.
Mike Dono, a parent, told the finance board his child has autism and, unlike many other parents in the same situation, he and his wife did not have to fight for the programs their child needs. Dono praised Monroe’s public schools and said any budget cut has an impact on all kids.
He contended a $1,850,000 cut to education this year will make things worse in ensuing years.
“It might be a tough sell if the budget increases, but we’ll rally the vote and make it happen,” Dono said. “We will rally the town and get the budget passed.”
The $107,069,131 town budget proposal includes $73,917,629 for education and $32,437,035 for municipal services. The overall spending increase is 2.84 percent.
Homeowners were hit hard by the state-mandated revaluation. To offset the impact on taxpayers, Rooney proposed lowering of the mill rate from 38.27 to 28.61 mills for fiscal year 2025-26, and using $4 million of surplus funds.
The Town Council reviewed the municipal budget and now the Board of Finance is doing a review of the entire town budget, before a final proposal comes before voters at referendum on May 6.
The Board of Education’s budget always garners the most interest. The Board of Finance will review that side of the ledger at a workshop at Town Hall on Jan. 26, which will be held at 6 p.m.
The hearing
Many who spoke at Thursday’s hearing expressed concerns over world language for seventh graders, which was among a list of possible reductions to remove $1.85 million from the education budget for 2025-26, which Superintendent Joseph Kobza had shared at Monday’s Board of Education meeting.
One mother, who is a Spanish teacher, not only opposed taking away world languages for seventh graders, she contended it should also be offered to younger children.
Jason Maur, a town councilman whose children are not yet old enough to be enrolled in the school system, recalled growing up in Monroe when there was a proposal to cut fifth grade band in 1994.
Then age nine, Maur said, “I knew what that meant to me and my classmates.” He said his parents were among those participating in a budget hearing to rail against the cut, which was restored.
“It showed what the power of our community really is,” Maur said. “Now we’re fighting to keep things like seventh grade language.”
Maur said Board of Education members called their proposal a “bare bones budget.” “Our superintendent is the only one who knows what he needs and that’s what he needs,” Maur said.
He encouraged town officials to restore the school board’s full budget request and, if voters disagree with it, they can turn it down during the referendum in May.
Nina Gagnon, who is a math intervention teacher at Jockey Hollow and a parent, said her son started out in classes of 24 to 25 students.
“It wasn’t until an additional classroom opened up in third grade that he started to flourish,” Gagnon said. “He’s struggling in writing as a sixth grader. I wonder what kind of writer he could have become if he had smaller classes.”
She said her son is excited to start French next year. “It is a shame that we are cutting foreign language in seventh grade,” Gagnon said. “It is a shame we don’t start it earlier. When we cut at the core of education, we undermine our growth as a community. We should trust our superintendent. Please reinstate the budget.”
Ted Quinlan, a former CPA and CFO who had served on Monroe’s Board of Finance years ago, said not restoring all of the education funds the superintendent requested will put the district behind the eight-ball every year.
As a senior citizen, Quinlan said he wants the town to maintain a quality school system for the property value of his home.
Rather than adopting a final budget proposal they believe will pass at referendum, he challenged town officials to present a budget based upon what’s needed.
Jenna Rice, a Monroe teacher and parent, said her children take music class on the stage and classmates learn math in closets. “We don’t have the wiggle room in our budget to cut anything,” she said.
After members of the public spoke, Board of Finance member, Steve Kirsch said, “this is easily the biggest crowd that we’ve had in 15 years. Thank you for your emails too.”
Rooney thanked everyone for coming to the hearing and said he understands their concerns and has a good relationship with the superintendent and teachers. However, he said residents should understand that, as first selectman, he has to look at the town’s needs as a whole to come up with a budget that works for everybody.
“Thank you for sharing your comments and being respectful,” Rooney said.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
