To the editor:
In this year’s school budget the school administration asked the tax payers for an additional $950,000 for school capital improvements. A few weeks ago, the school superintendent and financial representative stood before the Council telling everyone how important it was to have this extra — almost $1 million — in her budget and how this was for school capital improvements.
When I pointed out that we had millions in accumulated school surpluses set aside for school capital improvements, the narrative supporting this extra $1 million changed. The school now needs this extra $1 million because DCYF has allegedly placed additional students in East Providence that will cost us, the taxpayers, an extra $600,000. These students were supposedly placed in the city back in June. Why was there no mention of these students until now?
In addition, the superintendent, while lobbying for this new school stated that she had a five-year capital improvement plan and that she would not need to come back to the city to ask for more capital improvement money. I ask you to as the School Department and superintendent, “What happened to that plan?”
We cut the $950,000 out of the school budget so that we could allocate the funds to paying the debt that will come due on this brand new high school. Our new school is a tremendous school capital improvement and investment in our children and our future, but responsible governance requires that a plan be put in place to pay for it.
My budget plan positions us to pay off the new school construction debt while allowing us to maintain a high level of service for our residents. Additionally, we have millions of available school surplus dollars that are earmarked solely for school capital improvements.
Roberto L. DaSilva
Mayor, City of East Providence