Proposed BOE Budget for FY2026 Gets Implicit Support at Public Hearing

Buoyed by quiet but complete support, the Board of Education‘s proposed budget received the thumbs-up at a public hearing Wednesday night, Mar. 26, held by the Board of Finance.

Unlike past years’ hearings, where dozens of people have either vehemently spoken in defense of the school budget or shared opinions that it was running too high, just four people spoke, expressing positive assessments in a very quick 33-minute meeting held at Middlebrook School‘s auditorium.

“I think this was a record,” BOF Chair Matt Raimondi declared afterward.

Part of the support is likely tied to the fact that, in proposing its $96,968,334 budget, the BOE kept its increase at exactly 4% over the current $93.2 million budget, per suggested guidance from the finance board.

“This is spot-on for the Board of Finance guidance we gave back in November,” Raimondi pointed out. “It is right on the penny.”

In contrast, the Board of Selectmen‘s budget request of $37,402,033 represents a 4.41% increase over the current year, despite the BOF’s recommendation that any increase be kept at or below 3%.

BOE Chair Ruth DeLuca said that preparation for the budget was led by the BOF’s recommended guidance.

“Meeting the BOF guidance was not easy … The board did express concern that the BOF guidance of 4% might not be achievable, [but] the budget before you tonight recognizes our resource constraints and balancing competing education priorities,” she said.

“The budget here before you delivers education excellence at great value,” she said.

DeLuca explained that 80% of the budget was earmarked for salaries and benefits, for a combined increase of $3.5 million. This will include three new teachers and a paraprofessional, as well as restoration of a director of digital learning administrative position.

“I am in full support of this budget, especially as it pertains to the implementation of the new reading and writing program in compliance of the state mandate,” said parent Lindsay Mackay, a Wilton High School graduate.

“In fact, I personally would approve more money to ensure that our teachers and staff and everybody are fully prepared for this large shift for our youngest learners,” she said, praising the administration’s work in preparing the budget.

Deborah McFadden, a former Board of Selectmen member, said the low turnout reflected general support.

“I remember when we used to pack the Clune Auditorium all the way to the back row,” she said, “and this speaks volumes, the fact that people are happy with this budget.”

“I fully support this budget,” she said. “I think it’s great.”

“We should be really proud of the accomplishments of the schools,” McFadden said, noting that Raimondi was a graduate of the Wilton Public Schools and had chosen to live in town, calling it a testament to the quality of education offered in Wilton.

She made note of the much lower insurance increases the BOE is seeing as compared to the town’s 12% increase, pointing out that the two entities must use different insurance carriers, which they do.

Jeff Rutishauser, former chair of the BOF, also voiced his support for the school budget, noting how well the district has progressed with math instruction over the past 10 years.

“Our math scores were terrible,” he said. “They were embarrassing … Now they’re in the top tier.”

“Math is so important for our graduates to get in those positions where it’s required,” he said, citing workforce needs in a technological society.

Finally, Selectman Ross Tartell shared about being upset after learning that federal funding had just been cut for his son’s work on viruses and biomedical research at Rockefeller University.

“The work that you do to prepare our students for the future is absolutely critical because what we fund on the local level must be funded on the local level,” he said, “and so given today’s events, I’d like our education budget to be stronger.”

“Invest in our students because we must do it here on the local level, because our nation is not gonna do the investing,” Tartell said.

With no additional public comment, residents still have a last opportunity to state their piece through the Board of Finance budget survey, which is live online through Friday, March 28, at 5 p.m.

Raimondi pointed out that the town was “almost at the end” of the budget process, with BOF deliberations scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 1.

The Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, at which time people can begin voting on the BOF’s final recommended budget and Mill Rate recommendations.

“At the end of the day, this is your money that we’re spending here,” Raimondi said. “We want to know what you think about it.”

CORRECTION: The article has been updated to correct a quote from BOE Chair Ruth DeLuca. She said, “Meeting the BOF guidance was not easy … The board did express concern that the BOF guidance of 4% might not be achievable, [but] the budget before you tonight recognizes our resource constraints and balancing competing education priorities,” she said… not ‘competent education priorities.’