Is the upcoming South Kingstown school budget referendum about fiscal responsibility? My answer would be right question, wrong time. I will be voting no on slashing $1.5 million from this year’s school budget.

Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of substitute teaching at North Kingstown High School.  The experience has been truly eye-opening when on a daily basis, I witness both the good and the bad that our current public educational system offers to our children.  As a teacher, you are forced to confront heartbreaking stories and issues involving the kids in your care and it can push educators to their emotional limit. But, what has made my time at NKHS so special and gratifying are the truly amazing young adults I have encountered in the classrooms and hallways.

It is a sad commentary on our times, when a surplus is used as a weapon, whatever the surplus may or may not be. It used to be that town officials were applauded for their frugality. Not any more in South Kingstown.

There are also questions as to whether or not the surplus is really the issue. I cannot recall this ever being an issue with the school or town surplus.

There are times when budget referendums are necessary tools to right the path of an out of control school district. In the past, we have supported SK referendums when the district was on an unsustainable financial path. This is not one of those times.

On June 6th, there will be a special referendum on the already unanimously approved school budget at the Community Recreation Center from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Please vote to approve the current school budget and not reduce it by $1.5 million. The school budget is not why your taxes went up, despite the misinformation you may be hearing and reading.

On June 6th, voters will decide which path to take as they consider a referendum that would reduce the school budget by $1.5 million dollars. The Town Council and the School Committee both unanimously approved a school budget that level funds our schools for the fourth year in a row.

On Tuesday June 6, South Kingstown taxpayers will have an opportunity to vote to slow down the out of control spending by our School Committee. A local bipartisan group has sponsored a referendum to shave off the minuscule amount of $1.5 million from the $68 million proposed budget. SK tax payers are responsible for $55 million of the $68 million, the remainder comes from state and federal tax dollars. 

I am writing to urge South Kingstown voters to participate in the upcoming Special Budget Referendum (tentatively scheduled for June 6), and reject the proposed cut in the School Department budget (you can check the Town website or call the Clerk’s office for details on where and when to vote).

After several months of an exhaustive budgeting process at the School Committee and public hearings with the Town Council, the final town budget included only level funding for the SK School Department (the same amount as last year’s funding). 

I am writing to address some misinformation that has been presented about the school department’s budget, which has lead to a referendum to reduce the district’s budget by $1.5 million on Tuesday, June 6.

I have an MBA in finance, work as an accountant and I serve on the School Committee and its Budget and Finance Subcommittee. So I have a deep understanding of the budget and the budgeting process.

Recently, the Rhode Island Attorney General and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management ruled the lease by Procaccianti Developers will be terminated as they breached their prior lease with the RIDEM. Thank you to everyone who was instrumental in making this happen. I am grateful to everyone who fought for justice.

Dear South Kingstown Community Members,

On June 6th, voters will go to the polls and vote on a proposed referendum to reduce the School Department's budget by $1.5 million dollars. The School Department budget for next year, which begins in July, is level funded and represents a $0 dollar increase over last year's adopted budget. This means that there is no additional cost to the taxpayer. However, despite not requesting additional town appropriations, some in the community believe the School Department's budget should be reduced.

I am a supply chain management student at the University of Rhode Island.

We are living in an age where spending is high and patience is low. People order a product and they want it at their doorsteps as soon as possible. Within the past few years, the country encountered a situation where people had the money to get what they wanted, but there were other factors preventing their products from being delivered. With the pandemic, US-China trade war, and the war in Ukraine, there is a collective worldwide halt in trade. People are unable to get their medications, told they have to work overtime because of an increase in demand, and prices are soaring through the roof.

Over the past few months, the town administration and town council completed its annual process of going through extensive department-by-department reviews of proposed department budgets for fiscal year 2023-2024. Council members drilled down into the details of these proposed budgets, asked questions, and made the town and school committee justify proposed expenditures. Once completed and after public input the council unanimously voted to adopt the town and school budgets on April 24. 

As we approach the summer months, it is important that we acknowledge all that our teachers have done over the course of the school year.  Held from Monday, May 8 through Friday, May 12, Teacher Appreciation Week is a time when we should let our teachers know how grateful we are for their dedication to our children’s educations and well-being.  Tell them how much you appreciate all that they have done.