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Change Is Needed

We cannot spend our way to prosperity, but how do we achieve a successful outcome of students who are morally strong and have the excellent reading, writing, and computer skills needed to achieve financial independence?

Should we have a traditional public system? Public charter, public magnet, public virtual, or private? There are many choices. Let’s not define any change as an attack on the public good, while asking taxpayers for an 11.4 percent tax increase.

It disturbs me to see a Clinton union group voting itself a three-percent raise annually for the next three years with a graduation rate declining to 88 percent, and a huge, enrollment decline—a five-year loss of 232 students. The Board of Education budget increase in that time is $3.4 million.

Many private schools have one-year contracts. If successful, they have happy, motivated students and teachers get hired for another year and get raises.

Clinton should reduce duplication, using one financial center for the entire school and town. We currently spend more than $1 million a year on administrators. Do we need four school buildings for only 1,750 students, estimated to become only 1,533 in five years?

The schools should simplify and expand coding on the curriculum. Programmers have a starting wage of $80,000 and near-zero debt and are guaranteed a job upon graduating. Not everyone must be sent to higher education for professional degrees.

Change is needed. When a gentleman at the budget hearing asked if we understood the event of the Bastille, I know how he felt. Unilever and Stanley have left. Downtown small business limps along and we keep increasing their property tax. The State of Connecticut is $1.7 billion in the hole. As homeowners, we’re asked to pick up the tab. I encourage your readers to vote May 10.

Ona Nejdl

Clinton

Ona Nejdl serves on the Board of Finance.