[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by larsm

Unless I am missing something, this issue is solely optics. Towns are not constrained by 70% of property value to raise more monies as the mill rate is 100% controlled by town. Towns back into mill rate based upon spending needs instead of the reverse sadly.

Have you ever seen a government entity that wouldn't grab extra money with both hands and a foot?

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by East of the River

Yeah exactly. And education is one of those big reasons people live here so cutting that makes little sense.

Yeah, and it's too bad that the average education of the best high schools in the US is abysmally poor.

I've been teaching the product of the US education system in universities all over the country since the early 1980s. It gets worse every decade, no matter how high the ranking of the school system.

I look at the exams I used to give in, say, 1985 and I know that my students today couldn't possibly pass them. Yet the average GPA has drastically risen since then. Almost nobody fails now (the university would lose income if they kicked a student out for poor performance).

I recently uncovered a box of my old high school and college papers. I wrote B level essays in high school (in a rural school in a relatively poor state) and I'd weep with joy if any of my Honors students handed in a paper as good as those.

[RunD1987]

Just let towns fund education via tax like MY problem solved. Fund major cities on CT for five years to help lowering mill rates and transition them to implementing a school tax.

[BPt111]

Danbury, New Haven, Stamford, Norwalk, Milford show population growth in 2015 probably same for 2016 numbers is coming soon. The rest of CT cities show little decline


Report: Lower Fairfield County is the fastest-growing area in Connecticut - StamfordAdvocate

[DigitalMilford]

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

Yeah, and it's too bad that the average education of the best high schools in the US is abysmally poor.

I've been teaching the product of the US education system in universities all over the country since the early 1980s. It gets worse every decade, no matter how high the ranking of the school system.

I look at the exams I used to give in, say, 1985 and I know that my students today couldn't possibly pass them. Yet the average GPA has drastically risen since then. Almost nobody fails now (the university would lose income if they kicked a student out for poor performance).

I recently uncovered a box of my old high school and college papers. I wrote B level essays in high school (in a rural school in a relatively poor state) and I'd weep with joy if any of my Honors students handed in a paper as good as those.

And you're in Texas you say? And the students can't write? In Texas? Really? How's the football team?

[BPt111]

CT is in 8-9% shortfall in next budget cycle


"At issue are projections that state finances — unless adjusted — will run $1.7 billion in deficit next fiscal year and $1.9 billion in the red in 2018-19."

https://ctmirror.org/2017/04/21/its-...t-loggerheads/

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by DigitalMilford

And you're in Texas you say? And the students can't write? In Texas? Really? How's the football team?

Doesn't matter what state you're in. Standards are abysmal everywhere.

[East of the River]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Just let towns fund education via tax like MY problem solved. Fund major cities on CT for five years to help lowering mill rates and transition them to implementing a school tax.

Since most schools district in CT are divided by town the property tax and school tax are essentially the same thing.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

Doesn't matter what state you're in. Standards are abysmal everywhere.

Not really. If you adjust SAT Math and Verbal scores for the larger percentage of students taking the test and the re-baselined SAT verbal grading, most of New England has gone up since the 1970's. Certainly in metro-Boston, academics in the higher end suburbs are far more rigorous than they used to be. The failed mill cities? Not so much. If you work for some third tier Texas state college, yeah. I'll bet the students there are awful. Top-100 schools that are highly selective have no problem finding qualified applicants.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by East of the River

Since most schools district in CT are divided by town the property tax and school tax are essentially the same thing.

Wouldn't mind a yearly 5% or less excess rate tax on property taxes and car taxes. Those who own property are exempt from paying double excess tax on their cars. Take school funding out of the mill rate to lower it.

Do away with the income, estate, and gas tax. Exemption of sales tax on cars and boats.

Have a mileage tax, sales tax, used tax on goods over $5,000, excess tax on marijuanna/cigarettes/alcohol to fund universal mental health/substance abuse care at public & non-progit facilities for CT resident's, 2% tax to pay for State funded health care market, 2% tax for universal health care for individuals 70 and older living in the State, and 4% tax to pay for tax paid tuition at the community college's.

Flat business tax of 6%, 4% excess tax to pay for State funded health care market, and a 2% excess tax on businesses with more than 2,000 employees or more in the State.