WEATHERSFIELD Schools won't get more RMI tax money

The schools got advances on the same taxes the township just received.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Local school officials say they didn't get checks similar to those received by the township this week because the district has already received that money.
Weathersfield Township trustees received several checks this week totaling about $450,000 from taxes paid late by RMI Titanium. Some of the money also included a slight increase in property valuations in the township.
But schools Treasurer Angela Lewis said the district will not receive any additional checks because school officials asked earlier for advances on the taxes.
"These are taxes that were due in October 2003, but RMI paid them late," she said.
When school officials learned of the delay, they asked the county auditor's office for an advance on the money the school would eventually collect in order to keep the schools operating.
This year, she said, RMI paid the taxes on time, so it did not affect the schools' budget at all.
"So far, we're pretty much where we thought we would be," she said.
Levy
The problem is that where the schools thought they would be is still not enough to maintain operations in the coming years.
That's why the district is placing an emergency levy before voters for the fourth time, Lewis said.
School district voters will see a 5.5-mill emergency levy on the Nov. 2 ballot. In the past three elections, voters have turned down requests for an income tax levy, a 9.5-mill emergency levy and a 5.5-mill emergency levy.
Weathersfield schools have made several cuts in recent months in an attempt to ward off state-imposed fiscal emergency status. But projections show the district will end fiscal year 2005 with only $340,000 left over, and there will be a deficit of more than $101,000 at the end of fiscal year 2006.
And those figures could change for the worse at a moment's notice, Lewis said.
"If something happens that we didn't expect to have to pay for, it will change again," she said.
Lewis also noted if the levy passes, some cuts will need to remain in effect in order for the district to keep its head above water.
The levy will only help the schools maintain current operations and avoid some future cuts, she added.
slshaulis@vindy.com