What Do Southwest Connecticut Residents Want to See in Their Communities?

Over the past few weeks, hundreds of residents from Stamford to Fairfield, Greenwich to Norwalk have shared their thoughts with local elected officials about what they wanted to see in their communities at local budget hearings. 

While each city and town has their own programs, initiatives, plans, and unique budget challenges, there were a few themes that came up across the region. 

More Support for Local Schools, Particularly Teachers and Classroom Learning

With education funding making up more than 50% of each community’s budget, most of the comments at the public hearings centered around funding the schools. 

Many parents, students, and teachers advocated for more funding to go to the schools—or at the very least that further cuts be avoided.

In Norwalk, parents David and Alexis McCarthy asked the Board of Estimate and Taxation to fund the Board of Education budget to “the maximum level possible.”

“We have two children at Wolfpit Elementary School—they are immersed in wonderful programming led by caring teachers, administrators, and staff,” they said. “We see how leanly staffed the schools already are.”

Multiple students in Stamford asked the Board of Finance to fund the Board of Education’s request so that programs like free breakfast and lunch weren’t cut. Students said that there are a lot of their classmates who are “dependent on the resources provided by schools,” and that the food solves a problem for many families.

Stamford parent Anna Brady called on the board to “pass the BOE budget in full,” particularly with cuts proposed at the federal level. 

“I firmly believe that under the current circumstances it’s even more important to pass the K-12 budget in full,” she said. 

Parent and educator Bianca Shinn said that her plea to the Board of Finance was to “support the superintendent’s proposed budget.”

“This budget overall reflects the critical needs of our schools and the cuts—to be frank—would compromise the quality of education and supports that our students need,” she said, specifically citing cuts to school lunch and the family advocates at the middle school level. 

In Fairfield, families asked the Board of Finance to keep the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) program, the Spanish classes, and bus services for students. 

Student Thea Morgan spoke of her experience taking six years of STEAM at Sherman Elementary School.

“I think we should keep STEAM and Spanish in the elementary school,” she said. “I’ve learned so much about coding—We live in a digital world and there’s technology all around us. Learning about science and technology now will benefit us in the future.”

Parent Courtney Radosavljevic urged the board to keep the programs. 

“Everyone in every building is already stretched so thin,” she said. “Spanish and STEAM are foundational parts of our curriculum. We should be investing in our future, not taking away from it.” 

But while many spoke in support of funding for schools, others wanted to see that funding better allocated. 

In Norwalk, resident Lisa Brinton noted that “school administrative costs are drowning the city and every taxpayer.”

“Teacher and paraprofessional classroom support is flat to slightly down,” she said. “The city and taxpayers are struggling with school administration costs. One would think resources would go to teachers and the classrooms—it’s not just what you spend but how you spend it.” 

Norwalk parent Jody Sattler asked the board to encourage the Board of Education to focus funding for classroom teaching. 

“Principals are being asked to cut 121 teachers which would be detrimental,” she said, adding a few ideas for other ways to save money, such as reducing the administrator who supervises “school quality reviews,” cutting “nice to have” items like catered food for meetings and travel, and getting rid of satellite locations from programs, where the district pays rent to other property owners. 

In Stamford, parents asked the Board of Finance to reject any type of spending for a new flexible schedule model that the superintendent and administration are instituting at the high school level. 

“We need to see numbers, how much it costs,” parent Christina Acocella told the board, adding that it had a “fiscal responsibility to ask central office to show” how much it would save the district. “It is for the good of our students to not have this schedule. This schedule is not a good idea.” 

Providing Social Services and Community Resources

Outside of school funding, residents and officials advocated for supporting social service and community resources for those who needed help.

In Norwalk, residents asked to keep funding the community resource hub, which Council President Barbara Smyth told the Board of Estimate and Taxation had “helped thousands of vulnerable residents.” 

“I was surprised there were questions about it and the possibility of a consultant being considered for this program,” she said. “This is about people. The family navigators … help them to get the services that they need.” 

Council member Josh Goldstein said the hub has been a “vital program” and “serves as a beacon” in supporting residents who need services. 

In Stamford, residents called for continuing to provide support to local organizations such as Inspirica, which helps provide housing and services to those who are homeless, and New Covenant Center, which provides meals and other resources to those in need.

“I’ve lived in Stamford for over 50 years—I love this city, I love how vibrant and beautiful the city has become,” said Jane Carlin, co-chair of the Inspirica board, adding how that’s in part “due to agencies like Inspirica that have tried to address the issues of homelessness in our city.” 

Connecting Communities

Residents also voiced their support for projects and services that help them get around in their communities easier.

In Norwalk, residents asked the Board of Estimate and Taxation to continue its funding for the Norwalk Transit District, particularly now as it works on overhauling its routes to make them more efficient.

“Many Norwalk residents rely on the bus—4,200 rely daily,” resident Paul Fox said. 

Resident Tanner Thompson said that the route overhaul was “years overdue and nothing of its kind has occurred in Norwalk in 30, 40 years.”

He said it’s especially important to conduct “a lot of outreach, connecting with Norwalkers, especially people who already ride the bus, when all the bus routes are now different.” 

In Greenwich, residents voiced their support for a sidewalk along Shore Road. Multiple students said that there’s a “bus stop for school that’s very dangerous to get to” as the road currently exists and a sidewalk will help them be safer. 

“It’s a serious safety concern,” resident Kristen Beecher said. “I urge you to consider the real, intangible impact this issue has on our community’s lives.”