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To the Editor:
I write this objection to the budget process carried out by the Bridgeport Board of Education as an individual representing my own opinion. It was also submitted to the entire city council. I do this for the following reasons.
The finance chair, failed to adhere to the timeline, established in October of 2023. The budget was presented for the first time at committee on February 28th, 2024, the day after the special election for mayor. The only people that the Finance chair allowed to ask questions were committee members, the committee members were not given access to the CFO to answer questions. It was at this meeting we learned that our CFO would be retiring. The budget was presented by the new CFO. The only one to ask truly significant questions was Albert Benejan. Five Board Members did not have an opportunity to ask questions and were told it would be discussed on March 11th regular meeting. This meeting was cancelled without explanation.
Finally, a meeting was held on March 18th. It was here the board was finally able to ask questions about the budget. The full board did not receive some budget documents until a few hours before the meeting. This left five members of the board, four with under 1 year experience, little time to digest this information. Our CFO was allowed to speak briefly and explain that certain categories of the budget could be legally spent elsewhere. It became evident that there needed to be more time to fully digest. The budget approval was postponed to the next regular meeting.
The regular meeting was held on March 25, 2024. Again Ms. Siegel was present and did not speak, and Board member questions were once again limited, attempts to amend the budget was not permitted and ruled dilatory by the chair Christine Baptiste Perez Esq. Debate was stifled and limited. In total, the 309-million-dollar budget was debated and considered in under 3 hours by the entire board, and less than 2 hours at the committee level.
In all good conscience, I cannot, and will not, stay silent as I believe this budget proposal is not in the best interests of the children and taxpayer. Approval under these circumstances sets a dangerous precedent. Haphazard oversight, shirking of the board’s responsibilities, by some, to safeguard taxpayer dollars, is a slippery slope. Shirking fiduciary duties could lead to mismanagement, nepotism and out right fraud. I am not saying any of this happened, but, with the delay, lack of transparency, and the sudden rush to pass the budget leads me unable to support the budget request in its current form.
Now, what could the City Council do? As fellow stewards and fiduciaries of the taxpayer dollar, they also bear responsibility for oversight and approval of our budget requests. The council is empowered to make spending recommendations within 10 days under state statute 10-222. The board may accept or reject the recommendation and must provide a reason in writing for the rejection. So, I respectfully request that the city council exercise its right under state statute as to suggest the following changes that should have been discussed by the board but were not.
There are 6 figured salary positions in Central office that have not yet been filled central office budget has increased at least 80%, dollar wise, over last few years. Central office now has more staff since 2016. Adding more six figure salaries makes little to no sense with the potential for a $50,000,000 shortfall in fiscal year 25/26 and the need for draconian cuts.
We should eliminate these vacant jobs and shift half of the savings between the facilities department. Eliminating just one position could finance 2 or 3 painters! The other half should go into shoring up our savings to help cushion the blow for the following year. I have additional concerns about plans to keep little as $2,000,000 in savings, about 6/10ths of a percent of our overall budget.
So, I ask that the city council to recommend that we institute a hiring freeze for any unfilled central office positions and redistribute the salary costs between Facilities and Savings Account and resubmit our budget request.
Joseph Sokolovic
Bridgeport, CT
Sokolovic is a member of the Bridgeport Board of Education