Town, schools propose combined $44.7M budget in East Windsor

Feb. 3—EAST WINDSOR — First Selectman Jason Bowsza and School Superintendent Patrick Tudryn presented their respective town and school budgets for fiscal year 2023-24 for a total of $44.7 million.

At last night's joint meeting of the boards of Selectmen and Education, Tudryn proposed a $26.9 million budget, which is a $1.25 million, or 4.88%, increase over the this fiscal year's school budget.

Tudryn said the spending proposal is driven by the board's strategic plan for town schools, which was implemented in November 2021.

Around 67% of the proposed school budget is made up of salaries across all departments, which represents 287.6 staff positions employed by the Board of Education, he said.

The salary expenditures reflect increases negotiated in collective bargaining agreements for administrators, certified staff and paraprofessionals.

Tudryn said anticipated raises for the cafeteria workers, secretaries and custodians have been included in the budget because negotiations with their respective collective bargaining units are not yet done.

Special education costs make up 26% of the proposed budget, totaling $1,035,289. The costs jumped 3.66% from the 2022-23 fiscal year budget.

Tudryn said the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act mandate the changes in the expenditures for special education.

The spending proposal allocates $6.2 million for the administration of the public schools, which is $569,832 more than the current budget.

Medical insurance caused the biggest spike with a $550,398 increase followed by salaries for three business staff employees.

For the town side of government, Bowsza proposed a municipal proposed spending plan of $17.7 million for next fiscal year, which is a $635,115, or 3.71%, increase over this year.

"The bulk of the increase in expenditures is driven by rising costs of employee benefits," Bowsza said.

Specifically, $270,134 comes from increased benefit costs and $98,000 is allocated for non-negotiated wages.

"We currently have three contracts that are in some stage of negotiation, but remain unsettled," Bowsza said. "Those contracts that are out of date are what's driving the non-negotiated number up."

Health insurance benefits also saw a spike with a $124,830 increase, he noted.

Bowsza added that the town is also on the high end of a payroll cycle that hikes expenditures up for the next fiscal year, but brings them down in 2025.

"It's short-term pressure for long-term relief," he added.

Bowsza also noted that the tax rate would go up by 0.34 mills, for a total of 34.72 mills.

One mill represents $1 in taxes for every $1,000 in assessed property.

The average taxpayer would pay $124 more in taxes than they do now, he said.

Collin covers South Windsor and East Hartford for the Journal Inquirer.