Budget supporters contend with inaccurate information

With more than 200 people in attendance last week at a public hearing on the Board of Education’s proposed 2010-11 budget, a couple of residents offered inaccurate information to the pro-education crowd, designed to ignite opposition.

As usual, erroneous statements were made by people who like to hear themselves talk and don’t appear to care if they are making any sense or bringing up relevant topics. For example, one resident stated authoritatively that one teacher can teach “millions of children� on the Internet, thereby saving money on teachers’ salaries, and that teachers are the only people who receive raises in Winsted.

Another resident claimed that, since 55 percent of students are receiving free lunches, it must logically follow that their families cannot afford a tax increase. But since many disadvantaged families are renters and living in low-income housing, the tax increase is far from their primary burden. Food, clothing, health care and transportation are all more significant expenses, not to mention the fact that taxes pay for school lunch subsidies.

Another thing budget opposers tend to do is nitpick line items, claiming the school system is not looking for savings. Each year, they claim that salaries need to be renegotiated (which they already have been) and that the school system needs to look for the best deal for health insurance and other services (which it does). Countless hours of work have already gone into these processes and reopening negotiations often means spending more money than is saved.

But perhaps most telling about the ostensibly money-conscious arguments is what they ignore and omit. They can’t explain how limiting salary increases to zero will save taxpayers money — because it won’t — and they won’t acknowledge the problems that have arisen as a result of zero-percent tax increases in the past. Most of all, the budget opposers ignore the fact that students cost society much less in school than they do in the criminal justice system.

Parents and teachers made a point of responding to the misinformation last week, but the erroneous observations, misrepresentations and lies are certain to continue. The public’s campaign for proper school funding must continue throughout the budget process if there is any hope for success.