$250,000 Cut From School Budget

Citing an 8.7 percent increase over the previous year's budget, the Finance Committee voted to cut $250,000 from the school district's budget in the coming year.

“We have to be fair to all the residents of Marlborough," said City Council President Patricia Pope who said schools are extremely important to the community. "We can’t continue to grow at this rate ... Mayor Vigeant, when you sat on our side of the table, your head would have blown up with that number.”

The committee discussed a $500,000 cut to the school budget as was proposed by City Councilor Richard Jenkins. He amended that figure to $250,000 in cuts which was voted through by committee members Michael Ossing, Robert Seymour and Jenkins.

Committee members Mark Oram and Joseph Delano voted against the decrease. There are many necessary steps that need to be taken, and that are taken in this budget, said Delano who was in favor of no cuts.

“I am not going to support a single dollar in cuts for the schools," he said explaining that there will not be a huge affect on the tax rate if there are cuts of important positions. “There’s no purpose financially that we are constrained to do this."

Among the needed additions that were made this year were five English Language Learner educators, said Delano.

“We need to take a look at where we are as a city," he said. “Our population has changed dramatically."

There are currently 630 ELL students in the system, said Interim Superintendent Steven Dlott. 

"The growth has been very, very great," he said. "Some students don’t know any english. None. Some students have barely had any education.”

Following the vote, Dlott said he would have to return to the school committee with a proposal of how to cut the money from the budget.

"I'll be meeting with my staff tomorrow," he said.