Loffredo Tells Council: "Education Dollars Being Allocated: JUST NOT ADEQUATE!"

Connor Dale, asks the Council
to fully fund the Schools 

Vinnie Loffredo, Chair of the Board of Education, did not mince words when he addressed the Mayor and the Common Council regarding the Mayor's proposed budget for the city's public schools. He said that providing only a 1% increase in funding would unquestionably harm the schools, "There will be cuts."

Loffredo was one of 12 residents who spoke in favor of providing full funding for the schools.  Brian Kaskel told the Council Members that he did not envy their decision, but that it was specious to claim that shortchanging the schools was a "hard decision". He said the hard decision would be to stand up and openly state that the schools were important, and to cut other aspects of the budget.

The council will hold public hearings on the budget in the coming weeks. In recent years, the Democratic caucus, which has enough members to pass the budget without any Republican votes, has developed a budget that is presented to the entire Council for a vote. The final budget must be approved by May 15.