October 7, 2008

Allan B. Taylor, Esq.
Chairperson
CT State Board of Education
165 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Mr. Taylor:

CCM appreciates the work that the State Board of Education has done in preparing its "Connecticut Plan: Academic and Personal Success for Every Middle and High School Student". The goals of the plan are laudatory. But it is clear that significant new financial resources need to be made available by the State before any such new mandates can be placed on local governments and their property taxpayers.

The State has fallen woefully short on past funding commitments for education - particularly concerning the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants and reimbursements for Special Education costs.

The State's share of the costs of pre-K-12 local public education stands at 41% - lower than last year (FY 07-08, 43.1%) and lower even than the beginning of the decade (FY 99-00, 42.3%).

It simply does not make sense to impose new costs on local governments when past state aid commitments have not been kept for existing programs. The result will be increased dependence on property taxes, and a case of "robbing Peter to pay Paul" wherein local money would go to the new mandates at the expense of existing educational and other responsibilities.

Municipalities are partners with the State in providing education services to our children. We stand willing to work with you to improve standards, increase graduation rates and close the achievement gap. But it simply cannot be done unless commensurate state funding is ensured and provided.

Sincerely,

James J. Finley, Jr. Executive Director & CEO   cc: Hon. M. Jodi Rell, Governor of Connecticut Hon. James Amann, Speaker of the House Hon. Christopher Donovan, House Majority Leader Hon. Lawrence Cafero, House Republican Leader Hon. Donald E. Williams, Jr., Senate President Pro Tempore Hon. Martin Looney, Senate Majority Leader Hon. John McKinney, Senate Republican Leader Commissioner Mark McQuillan, Department of Education