We at Inside Middletown Schools predict that the Middletown School District will attempt to override the tax cap, and significantly raise taxes for the third year in a row. In the past two school years, in some parts of the district, the school district has raised taxes by over 20%. This may be the year in which school taxes may increase by over 30% in three years. Can you afford to pay this increase?
For the past two years, Dr. Eastwood has asked the tax payers to compensate for the State's cuts in our district's school aid, and blamed Governor Como. The district tax payers have picked up the tab for the State's reduction in school aid for the past two years in a row. At the same time, even though the school district's budget has not increased, it has never fully decreased its spending enough to adapt to its reduction in State aid. In order to prevent a yearly request of taxpayers for more money, much larger cuts in the district's budget need to be made. Dr. Eastwood should stop blaming Governor Como for the district's current financial situation, and make the necessary spending cuts to prevent this reoccurring problem. Regardless of the value of its programs, the district must keep within the ability of its taxpayers to pay more taxes. It appears that the Governor's tax cap was designed just for districts like Middletown.
As we enter the board's development of next year's school budget, this scenario is how Inside Middletown Schools predicts the district will request an override of the tax cap and a large increase in school taxes. Initially, Dr. Eastwood will present a budget within the governor's tax cap, and complain about the Governor's cut in State aid. This budget will have cuts to programs such as ROTC. Dr. Eastwood already knows that these programs are highly supported by the public. He also will claim that the progress made by the district in addressing its identified status will be jeopardized. Subsequently, his supporters on the board will do the dirty work and ask to override the tax cap and approve a higher tax levy.
What is the basis for our prediction? First of all, this scenario is exactly what has happened for the previous two years. Secondly, regardless of the fact the the district's reserves are higher than allowed by State Law, and are one the highest of any district within the State, the district has stubbornly refused to use any of these funds to decrease the tax rate. One should remember that these funds accumulate as the result of monies unused in a given year's budget; thus, may be considered over taxation. Thirdly, the resent comments by Dr. Eastwood, and many board members predicting the academic consequences for not increasing the budget, and their comments about the tax cap. They have all disregarded the fact that by overriding the tax cap they are really saying that
YOU can afford to pay more taxes.
There is one addition point that the voter need to consider about the new developing budget. Namely, that the administration and many board members are counting on the fact that only those with a vested interest in overriding a tax cap and approving a large tax increase will vote. If you do not approve of higher school taxes, you must oppose and vote against any budget that attempts to override the tax cap.
