Educators across Connecticut urge legislators to quickly pass a budget that includes these essential principles:
- Protect local school budgets and the education of all children
- Maintain critical services for families and communities
- Provide for a reliable revenue stream
We have strongly supported reversing the draconian cuts in the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants that have been proposed in the governor’s executive order.
We are concerned that while the governor’s new budget proposal lessens the cuts in ECS, it also imposes new cuts on municipalities that will also impact school budgets and other essential services. Some towns receive additional funding with one hand, and have it taken away with the other. These proposals may result in property tax increases, cuts to our schools, or both.
To avoid future budget crises, Connecticut must aggressively pursue a predictable, sustainable, and dedicated revenue source to cure the chronic state underfunding that continues to plague public schools.
We urge legislators to enact a budget as soon as possible that protects local school budgets and the education of all children, maintains critical services, and provides for a reliable revenue stream.
The Connecticut Education Association represents 43,000 teachers in Connecticut.
