WELCOME TO THE NINTH
EDITION OF
TAX TALK
Your
weekly update on what others are thinking, doing, and planning
Send your comments or questions
to me, and
I will include in next week's publication.
Bob Greene, green_robert@hotmail.com
Salem Taxpayers Association
Subject: Hold on to your wallet. Here comes another unfunded
mandate.
Date: September 12, 2003
Universal Preschool Proposed,
State Would Require Every Community To Offer Programs, By RACHEL GOTTLIEB,
Courant Staff Writer
September 11, 2003
Concerned that thousands of Connecticut children do not have access to adequate
preschool, the state Department of Education is crafting a proposal to offer
universal preschool statewide. The plan, with a hefty price tag,
proposes that cities and towns would be required to offer preschool, but
parents would not have to enroll their 3- and 4-year-olds. Parents would
probably be asked to pay fees based on their ability to pay.
In one of his final acts as state education commissioner, Theodore S. Sergi
urged the State Board of Education Wednesday to adopt a proposal to offer
preschool to all youngsters."Why would I pick early childhood as my last
back-to-school message after years and years of harping? You have seen real
evidence that that investment is worth it," he said to the board. "We
cannot afford not to offer preschool to every child."The education
department has not yet finished a proposal to present to the board. Rather,
officials briefed the board on the department's plan to come back with a
proposal as early as next month and sought guidance."What happened today
signals a more aggressive proposal by the state," said George Coleman,
associate commissioner, explaining that while the state board has long
supported the idea of the universal preschool, it has never taken the steps to
put it in place. Preschool has become important because of the need to close
achievement gaps and because of the consequences for students who don't
succeed, he said.
Board reaction to the idea was mixed, with Chairman Craig Toensing expressing
unreserved support for universal preschool and board member Donald Coolican
declaring opposition "if this is going to be another unfunded
mandate.""If you want to work on the achievement gap, work on
this," Toensing said. "The work you're doing is tremendously
important." Coolican, chairman of the school board in East Hampton,
fretted about the expense of hiring teachers and building or leasing more
classroom space to accommodate preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds.
Coleman took the opposition in stride, saying that the board's opinions reflect
the range of views among the general public.Officials do not yet have a cost
estimate for the entire state. Their analysis from a report issued in October
2000 does show that around 15,000 children in more than 40 cities and towns
with the highest needs are not served. The annual operating cost for those
municipalities alone could rise from the current $40 million allocated through
a school readiness grant to around $106 million. And capital costs to build
about 800 more classrooms are estimated at $157 million. The serious, costly
sanctions that schools and districts will face under the federal No Child Left
Behind law are also putting the spotlight on the need for effective early
childhood programs. Preschool programs help children learn their letters and
numbers, improve vocabulary, follow directions, stay on task and function
socially, said Paul Flinter, chief of the state Department of Education's
bureau of early childhood, family and student services. "This is one of
the five greatest resource needs in Connecticut," he said.Under the state
proposal, it is also not yet clear whether parents would be required to pay
fees based on a sliding scale as they currently do to enroll in school
readiness programs, Flinter said.Sergi said that the state would ultimately
realize savings from its investment in preschool programs. If children do better
in school, he said, fewer would drop out or need remedial courses or extra
years in school, and fewer would end up in the criminal justice system.The
longest waiting lists in Hartford and other cities appear to be for full-day,
full-year programs. Flinter said that any proposals for universal access would
likely preserve those comprehensive programs, but mandated programs would
probably be limited to 21/2 hours a day for at least 180 days.In other
business, the board selected its longtime lawyer, Mark Stapleton, to serve as
interim commissioner until a permanent commissioner is named in November or
December. Sergi, who retired, will step down as interim commissioner at the end
of the month. Stapleton, director of the office of legal and government
affairs, joined the department in 1980. He earned a bachelor of science degree
in finance and his law degree from the University of Connecticut. He lives in
Glastonbury.The board also downgraded a teacher training program at Sacred
Heart University in Fairfield to provisional accreditation. The board's
concerns stemmed from a report showing that student teachers do not get enough
training with diverse populations, the curriculum is not aligned with state
teaching standards, and the program lacked an affirmative action plan to
recruit diverse students and teachers. Ed Malin, chairman of the school's
department of education, said the school has since created an affirmative
action plan and is working on providing students with more experience teaching
diverse populations. He said he believes the curriculum is now aligned with the
state's standards, and Sacred Heart needs time to demonstrate that. The board
ordered reports on the school's progress in February and October 2004.
Copyright 2003, Hartford Courant
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Jack Walton, jacc45@hotmail.com
Oakville Taxpayers Association
Subject: Response to Article re Growing Federal Deficit
Date: August 26, 2003
Susan......It can only get worse.....China picked up millions of manufacturing
jobs this year and the United States lost millions of jobs.....Less than a buck
an hour in wages against US average exceeding 26 bucks an hour will not
change....plus electricity the real plus for China....just completed 3 gorges
dam will produce power for their industry at about 1 penny per KWH....ours in
CT is running about 12 cents KWH and will continue to rise. No laws impede or
add on staggering extra cost for industry compared to US. The advantage is with
China so much that their is now a mass exodus from Mexico......a place
manufacturing was invading 10 years ago...now on their way to China....Mexico
is up in arms about being in the same boat as the USA. I could go on and
on with the advantages China has but what for......................jack
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Bob Green, green_robert@hotmail.com
Salem Taxpayers Association
Subject: Response to Article re Growing Federal Deficit
Date: August 26, 2003
Good morning, Sue. As the economy begins to pick up and the money starts
rolling in, look for a flashback to the Reagan years where Treasury receipts
tripled, but Congress in its infinite insanity, rather than pay down the debt
with the extra cash, saw the money as a windfall and still managed to spend $2
for every $1 taken in. I fully expect them to try the same thing
again. You would think that people would learn from history........ NOT!
Shovels anyone? Bob Green
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Maury Johnson, Mauryj1923
Stratford Taxpayers Association
QUESTION: Senior Tax Relief Programs
Date: August 26, 2003
Hi Susan, Your
newsletter is very helpful! I have a question: Who has experience
with senior tax relief programs? We have been told that there are State
"mandates" as to what can be done or what is done. We have also
heard that some towns go beyond State suggested levels. This is an
important issue and sharing information about successful efforts to provide
senior tax relief will be most helpful. Thank you, Maury Johnson
P.S. Jim Orlowe is busily answering questions from the IRS on our filing.
I believe he has discussed this with you. Keep up the good work!
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Roland Fisher,
rolandfisher@comcast.net
East Hartford Taxpayers Association
Subject: Now Sit Back, Relax, and Try This..........
Date: August 14 , 2003
While sitting at your desk make
clockwise circles with
your right foot. While doing this, draw the number
"6" in the air with
your right hand. Your foot will change direction.