Haddam Opposed the Region 17 School Budget

In the history of Region 17 school budget referendums, the budget invariably is approved when Killingworth residents vote for it in sufficient numbers to overcome the vote against the budget cast by Haddam voters.

After two unusual referendums in a row in which both Haddam and Killingworth voted in favor of the proposed school budget, the district returned to its familiar rhythm Tuesday: Killingworth voted for the budget, and Haddam – for the 38th time in 48 referendums –voted against it.

In Killingworth, the vote was 338 in favor and 261 opposed, a 77 vote margin of approval cast by 14 percent of eligible voters.

In Haddam, with a 16.9 percent voter turnout, the budget was defeated by just 23 votes, with 504 voters opposed and 481 in favor.

In comparison, the 2010 budget referendum in Region 17 saw much stronger support in Killingworth – a 406-192 approval – than was produced this year. The Haddam vote this year represents a 62-vote swing from the 39-vote victory for the budget there last year.

School board Chairwoman Amy Jacques-Purdy, a Haddam resident, said it’s difficult to characterize what voters in her town were thinking when the margin of defeat was so small.

“It’s such a small number. I think it’s just because people didn’t show up (at the polls),” she said. “We’re very grateful for the effort made by the people who did, and obviously we’re very appreciative of the support (In both communities). We’re thrilled. We just want to get back to the business of running the schools.”

Jacques-Purdy pointed out that this budget is the third in a row that has called for an increase of less than 3 percent, while meeting the district’s contractual obligations.    

It was the last prepared by outgoing superintendent Gary Mala, known for his tightly constructed spending plans, and called for a 2.87 percent increase in expenditures, higher than the 1.58 percent increase of his previous budget, largely untouched by the school board.                  

This year, however, the school board made $317,368 in cuts, reducing Mala’s $1.07 million spending increase to $739,008.               

Killingworth finance board member Gwenne Celmer recently complained that state law precludes the finance boards from member towns in regional school districts from having any direct say in the creation of their school budget.

Celmer is trying to convince the legislature that finance boards in regional school districts should have the same input in school budgeting as do municipal finance boards.

But Jacques-Purdy opposes the change, saying Region 17 finance boards do have an advisory role in education finances, particularly in a region where the member towns have a history of disagreeing on the school budget.

“To hand over our responsibility for our finances would be a mistake,” she said. “To have our hands tied while one town agrees and the other town disagrees would make things very difficult.”