INCOME TAX ISSUE Weathersfield schools

Weathersfield School District has a 1-percent income tax on Tuesday's primary election ballot. Here are the details:
The State Department of Education notified the district that based on its five-year forecast, a deficit was projected for fiscal 2004. It told the district it needs to move to prevent a deficit and that developments would be monitored.The district was placed under fiscal caution March 31 by the state and will remain under caution until it can show the state it will be solvent.The district has prepared figures to show it will be solvent at the end of next year but only if the 1-percent income tax is approved by voters next week.The levy would generate $860,000 annually. With that and recent cuts, the district is predicting a $100,000 balance next year.The state has said it would reconsider the district's application for a state catastrophic grant, if it cannot pull itself out of debt. The state denied a request in March for a $621,000 catastrophic grant.District Treasurer Angela Lewis is to meet with Department of Education representatives May 12.The school board has approved $300,000 in cuts in October after learning it would lose $621,000 in personal property tax from RMI Titanium Inc. and projected a deficit of $1.2 million for the next fiscal year.The district lost an additional $48,300 in state aid March 5 because of state budget cuts.The district's 1-percent income tax would be based on adjusted gross income (after federal and state taxes).Not taxed: Social Security, railroad retirement benefits, disability or survivor benefits, welfare, workers' compensation payments and property received as a gift, inheritance or bequest.The last round of district cuts in March included early retirements, projected to save the district $388,376 over two years. Lewis said others leaving the district through retirement or resignation will not be replaced. Professional days are being cut again for next year, saving about $11,000, and overtime for classified employees must be approved in advance. Administrator mileage, board-paid field trips, special tutoring, proficiency test intervention and some supplies also have been cut.