May 18, 2010 -- The Tolland Budget Referendum passed on the second try. The tally was 1828 YES Votes to 1089 NO Votes.

The May 4th Tolland Budget referendum failed by 119 votes. Only 26% of registered voters participated. In response, the Town Council has adopted the Town Manager's recommended budget, which will cut $1.8 million from the school budget as adopted by the Board of Education. The next referendum will be held on May 18th.

On Monday, April 5, the Town Council presented a newly revised budget for 2010-2011, reinstating some school and municipal funding. School budget increase = 3.5%; municipal budget increase = 0.42%; overall budget increase = 2.78%. However, Tolland voters did not support this budget at the May 4th referendum. We are now back to the 1% school budget increase detailed below.

NEW!! Click here for a video message from the Board of Education.

According to an article published by the Journal Inquirer March 25, 2010...

[Tolland Schools Superintendent] Guzman's list of cuts required to reduce the budget by that amount [recommended by the Town Manager] includes 21 teachers, seven para-professionals, two custodians, "and the list goes on." he said.

School Superintendent William Guzman told the Board of Education on Wednesday that teachers, textbooks, and programs could all be cut if the board is held to a 1 percent increase.

"The prospect of going forward with the budget at the level the town manager's recommending is devastating. The school district that you know now will not be the same school district that you'll see next year should that recommended budget come to pass," Guzman said.

March 16, 2010 -- Town Manager's official recommendation is for a  $1.8 million cut to the Tolland School Budget for 2010-11. Go to our School Budget Facts Page to get the details. Find out what this means in terms of your property tax.


Click here to go to our School Budget Facts page.

 Our Vision

There are many budgetary challenges facing Tolland. Staying on top of the many details, meetings and initiatives can be a daunting challenge - especially when it comes to understanding the impact of these items on the quality of our school system. The Friends of Tolland Schools are here to help you stay informed.


Friends of Tolland Schools is a non-partisan, grassroots group of volunteers advocating for the longterm quality of Tolland's public schools. A key goal
of Friends of Tolland Schools is to attend town and school meetings, share factual information and assist town residents in staying informed on budget
and other matters impacting Tolland Schools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help FTS keep parents informed

Our volunteers attend town meetings and dialogue with school and town officials to bring accurate information to concerned residents and encourage participation in Tolland's local governing process. Please contact us if you would like to help.