A standing room only crowd filled Memorial High School auditorium in Manchester Wednesday evening.
School officials had to open up the cafeteria and supply a big screen tv for the overflow.
The public had turned out a hearing on Manchester’s proposed city budget.
Mayor Frank Guinta has submitted a 256 million dollar plan.
That represents a $3 million cut from last year’s budget.
But as NHPR Correspondent Debra Daigle reports, most of those who testified were concerned not about the city cuts, but about the lack of an increase for the schools.
A majority of those who took the podium at the public hearing on Mayor Guinta's budget blueprint were either teachers, students or school officials.
They urged city officials to spare city schools, the library, and Manchester Community Television from the budget axe.
Maxine Mosely is a McLaughlin Middle School counselor.
“I would ask you to reconsider what you are allocating to the Manchester School District…to take care of our children and our future…because we cannot afford an ignorant society." (applause)
The mayor's 256 million dollar budget includes $143 million for public schools.
But school administrators had asked for $148 million.
Earlier in the day the mayor defended his proposal as comparable to last year's budget.
But he adds that the real challenge lies in using taxpayer dollars more efficiently.
“Right now we have about 60% in direct classroom instruction, and 40% on administrative costs. I’m calling for additional spending in classroom instruction, which will directly help teachers teach and students learn. If you increase that appropriation by 5% that represents $7 million. It’s not of new money; it’s of existing money, but it’s re-appropriated properly.â€
However, the city's director of fine arts, Chris Martin, says the funds the mayor wants to cut for administration include money for positions like principals.
"School principals make up 5% of that budget. It also does not include what we call “instructional support services,†people like Maxine Mosley who are guidance counselors. I can’t think of people who are more important to student services than the guidance counselors that help them with their difficult issues.â€
A large contingent of young middle school students enrolled in the city's dropout prevention program also turned out.
Brittany Pauquette got a standing ovation when she explained how the programs had helped her.
“Just please don’t cut it down or anything, because I really love this, and I’ve really been doing much better in math; I at least get three problems right instead of just one now!†(applause)
The mayor and board of aldermen attended the hearing but made it clear they were not there to defend the budget but listen to the public.
But there was a very vocal group of Guinta supporters holding signs outside the hearing.
Among them Tammy Simmons, who had volunteered with Guinta's mayoral campaign.
“The residents in Manchester sent a very clear message last November, when they elected a candidate who said he would give us a tax cut, and I think the taxpayers of Manchester get what they voted somebody in to do."
From here, the budget process goes to the board of aldermen and finance committee.
The aldermen say they will review all public comments and hold meetings with department heads over the next several weeks.
The final budget is due on the second Tuesday of June.
For NHPR News, I'm Debra Daigle in Manchester.
