The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-03-11

Naugatuck, March II - Startled by the action of the board of edu- cation in proposing a tentative bud get for the new fiscal year $9,10C higher than the budget for the present fiscal year, local residents are wondering today just what &C., tion the board of warden and bur- gesses will take on this tentative figure of $218,000, which if adopted might mean an increase of half a mill in the taxes here.
 The education board figure was reached yesterday afternoon at a meeting where the usual urbane ano harmonious atmosphere of the board was jolted into something very much akin to friction.
 Superintendent Chittenden had prepared 8 tentative budget amounting to $213,O00. The budget for this fiscal year is $208, Dr Charles Kennedy, Democrat, insist ed that this $213,00O tentative fig ure was too high and asked the board to go over it in detail.
 After this had been done, it being enlivened by an interesting discus sion on the supervisors expense item, Chairman Charles P. Roden- bach, chairman of the board, said that MT. Chittenden's figures were too low and that the school board should submit to the board of war den and burgesses figure of $220,- 900 as the tentative budget.
 Howard Bristol, Republican compromised" by moving the ten- tative figure be $218,000. Dr. Ken nedy again said he thought MT Chittendens $213,000 figure was high and Peter Meegan, Democrat, suggested the $213,O00 be submitted to the board. Chairman Rodenbach quickly pointed out there was a motion before the house and called for vote. The three Republican members voted for the $218,0O0 Bristol motion figure and the three Democrats did not vote.
 The education department bud gets have increased in recent years, In the fiscal year, 1933-34, it was $l745OO and in the fiscal year 1934-35, it was $180,628. In the tls- cal year, 1935-36, it was 187,000 and in 1936-37, it was $196, 100. It jump ed from this last figure to $208, 300 lastsyear and now another virtually $1O,O0O increase is proposed. The highest the department figure has ie fbot nf COOK nm hn- fore the 1880 depression.
 Explains Increase
 MT. Chittenden in proposing the $213OOO figure which would be an increase of $4,1O0 over the budget of this fiscal year which ends March 31, explained the major part of this increase was due to the fact that the 5 per cent restoration in wages which took place in the pre- vious fiscal year, will be in full ef- feet in the coming fiscal year for the first time.
 The final per cent of big wage cut the teachers took during the de- preSsion was restored just prior to the setting of the budget for the 1937-38 fiscal year. But it was de- cided it would not go into effect until last September. This means the $2O8, 300 budget did not include the per cent increase for the months of April, May and June. MT. Chittenden pointed out this 5 per cent restoration was in effect seven of the ten months of the school year during the present fiscal year, but in the coming fiscal year of course it will be in effect all ten months and therefore larger sum will be necessary in the budgets.
 Superintendent Chittepden said if the $213,OOO figure "in my opinion it would be the lowest possible esti- mate for operating another year, figuring things as at present."
 May Adjust Salaries
 The reason for making the budget $218OOO instead of $213,000 is be- cause of two items on which formal action has not been taken but of which the Republican members Of the board apparently approve. One is for adjustment or salaries ol those teachers who are below the regular wage scale because they started during the depression at lower wages than the local scale provides.
 Chairman Rodenbach asked how much this would cost to bring these teachers up to the regular scale and Superintendent Chittenden said about $2,5O0 as a total or $100 per person.
 The other item is the cost, esti- mated as at least $1,000 for in- stalling new drinking fountains in all of the school buildings. Prior to the budget discussion, Superintend- ent Chittenden informed the board he had been notified by the state education department of the new state law which requires in public