001They're building at 001 HP is active. These are ones. Okay, I'm calling this meeting to order at meeting of the ad hoc advisory committee on the agenda 9th is calling the meeting to order approval of minutes, but we have no minutes from the last meeting to approve so I'm going to skip that tonight. And move right to the discussion. The purpose of this meeting is to sort of review how our spring went. We listed on the agenda for review of the things a discussion of how we did and a look towards the future. That's the purpose the ad hoc committee was formed we engage in advocating this spring for the budget for our kids to try and increase the money for the budget. I think we've done a great job, but we want to take
002a look at that. And talk about the future. So I We do have a quorum and can call to order. Albert Benavides is online with us. I want to say hi to Mary. Mary is here next to me. So we have a quorum for the meeting. The meeting has been called to order at 6:12 and we're skipping to the public forum. And let's start by I will I'll ask the superintendent to start with a report. He's had the most recent discussions with representatives of the State Department of Ed. I have passed out and I will try to get this there's a series of um um with the um reports or snapshots or analysis done by the School and State Finance Project. Um they are a uh analytic group that has um been doing um research
003on this subject for um years. Um and um I handed out the most recent one done May 15th. I have two others which are even longer from May 7th and May 8th. Um so to summarizing what the state did, um I have been unable to um locate and print an article that came out May 12th in the Connecticut Post. Um that sort of summarizes what was done. Uh no, I I know where I know the article. I just couldn't pull it up to print it um uh before I wanted to tonight to hand out, but I want to send all this out in case people haven't seen it and I'll have it uh emailed out to people. It's not the sort of thing I could attach to um these things came to us in emails
004to the members of the board. Um we get them and so we'll forward them along to people uh through your emails on our email list for the people that have signed in to our various meetings this spring uh cuz you may want to peruse them. They contain a great deal of detail about how this uh budget went down. Um what the article in the post did was uh then look at an inequity that emerged after the budget after the session ended. It showed that there was a little uh funny business. Um the governor steered uh some of the money to towns that didn't deserve it. Um and Bridgeport was shortchanged a couple million dollars it turned out um because the governor's funny business. Um uh and that's political game playing that the governor seems to
005have engaged in uh in an effort to increase his chances of getting elected uh by giving money to towns that aren't on the ECS list. Um so Bridgeport would have gotten 17 million according to the post article. Other cities and towns like Bridgeport would have gotten more money like New Haven. Um and the governor steered that money into towns that didn't deserve it necessarily by the standards of the ECS. Um and um that article is worth looking at, too. Uh cuz that's political game playing. Um but this the the school state finance project will simply explain who got what and for what reason according to that. Um one of the other things that emerged after the session ended um and I think it's safe for me to say that it reflects our need to be
006more vigilant and to be able to to monitor this stuff more closely. In the last week of the session um um the governor was adamant um and we were unaware. Uh the governor was adamant that the deal being made that got played in that the money that was allocated was not going into the ECS. It went into and we everybody talked about it as ECS money. But it was it's not counting towards the ECS. So the 15 million that supposedly was raising the ECS from 11,525 to 13,000 a little over 13,000 per student. That's what it's based on. But it won't count towards the ECS. It will just That's what it's based on. Um so then next year when we start, technically our students are still getting $11,525 per student. And so the fight next
007year we're starting from $11,525 per student. Again, that's a little game playing. I thought we were moving to the a minor increase. That's what Senate Bill 7 was one of the bills we were supporting was doing was saying, "Okay, you got to do it in four steps. One step, two step, three step, four over four years." And I thought we were taking step one this year. No, it didn't do that. The governor didn't want to put any money into a step one. We'll just put the money in but it won't be step one. It'll just be the money for step one that doesn't count towards step one. So again, a little game playing that got played in the last week that we were on the square. Because we don't have the means for monitoring exactly
008what's being done in the back rooms as the deal got made. Had meetings to talk ultimately about how we do deal with that next session. And monitor things more accurately is the way to put that I don't think so. So the 13 the 15 million is 15 million that doesn't count towards the ECS next year. We're starting still from the same position we were in this year. So we did achieve the 25 million and we did achieve getting the city council to up their contribution from five to 10 million. We're still at 9 million that we need to balance the budget line by 1 million. And now then having said this, let Dr. Lee take it from there. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just kind of want to give everybody an update as to the
009three proposed budgets that we proposed to the community. The first one was the 45 million dollars for 4 million dollars, a status quo budget, and then we had the 16 million plus budget that was the these the school wide budgeting exercise that we did with our principals to make sure that we could at least get bring back some of the things that we had just cut and that we had assistant principals and really looking at the needs of the campuses. That was a 16 million dollar, you know, a budget perspective that we talked about. And then we had a third that the that the board felt we needed to kind kind of go above and beyond at 106 million dollars. As you all know, we ended up with approximately about 35 million dollars at this
010at the end of this legislative session. That is 15 million dollars from the state ECS you know, allocation from the state. Um Um 10 million is a pass-through to municipalities. I think they call it the um the casino tax, you know, there's a different name for it. I don't have it off the top of my head. People are money is a pass-through to the city. The city has agreed to provide that that money directly to the board of Ed. Unfortunately, there's a lot of districts in Connecticut that the cities are keeping their money that money and not passing it through. They have the option to do it, but our city has decided to pass that 10 million dollars to the district. And then we were very fortunate to to have the city up uh uh
011their original contribution 5 million to a final 10 million for this school year and then 2 million for next school year. And so that's a total of 12 million dollars for the next 2 years, but we're going to up front that 10 million this year. That's where I came up with the 35 million. And like Mr. Traynor said, we are about a 9 to 10 million dollar deficit that we're having to figure out how we're going to balance the budget by the end of June. And so, one of the things that we are working on and working with the state of the state of Connecticut on is cost efficiency within our district. And what that means is is a couple of different things. Looking at all programs, all contracts, all service providers, looking at out
012of district and in district placements, and really making sure that we have an ability to kind of look at cost-saving measures. In addition to that, we're looking at the 34 recommendations from the the forensic audit that was done by the state and really making sure that we are tightening up, you know, internal protocols and making sure that we adhere to making updates and um coming into compliance with those 34 recommendations. With that being said, I think one of the things that we are doing right now and trying to find and you know, finalize, you know, how can we make up that $10 million? My preliminary analysis of where we are is that I feel by the end of June we will have a balanced budget. What that means is that we're we're not having to
013cut any put positions in the district or have to cut any additional programs. But what that does mean is we have no money for safety nets. We have no money to add value to the programs that we're currently are running. We have no, you know, ability to enhance anything in the district. But all we have to do is keep the efficiencies, you know, looked at, incorporate policies and procedures to make sure that we mandate everything is done in the proper way so that we're not cuz cuz we will have another audit that we have to make sure those things are adhered to. So, the the job right now is to stabilize the things that we're doing and then try to try to find some additional efficiencies to start adding money to the savings account. And
014that's a long haul for a district like Bridgeport cuz our rates are struggling to be able to do what we do. But I can tell you if they do not change the ECS formula, we're going to go into next year's budget with a with a deficit of about 20 to 25 million dollars. You know, right out of the shoot. You know, you know, because we don't we don't have the reserve to reserve to to fall back on moving forward. So, the fight's not over, you know, and it's it's it's it's very difficult to move the largest district in Connecticut, you know, in a way that we should be moving this district without enough Yeah, Mr. Trager talked about earlier. There was some maneuvering of those dollars. I didn't get into all those details. All political
015to me and I don't have time for that. I'm just trying to figure out what we're going to do to keep this district afloat and and also enhance academic growth to the to to this district and the children that we serve. And that's the struggle that that we will continue to have if they don't fix the formula. And so, just kind of want to give this group, you know, food for thought that I appreciate Mr. Trager's no effort and the efforts of the committee to we've got to keep this alive. And and we have to double or triple our efforts next year because playing games with the numbers and playing games with, you know, what we're having to provide and fixing that formula, we're never going to get out of the rut, guys. Uh and
016I think that's something that we need to put in the front of everybody next year, including the governor, because it's going to be critical cuz he's, you know, he's already running for re-election, but but still, I think we have to be able to And we did a amazing job this year. The last 2 years actually. We revved up the year before, this year we came out fighting, and then next year is a war. So, we've got to be able to do what we need to do uh moving forward. So, I will applaud this committee. We have to keep it moving and figuring out what we need to do next step. And that's part of what this meeting is about today uh because we don't have enough money to to to do what we need to
017do. And so, that's important for me and for this committee to be able to uh get all of our process together. Um my team from the communication is ready to start that advocacy now. We just need to put those uh those the those messages out there between now and whenever legislation starts again about what we need in this district. So, um as chair, I'll any questions I'll try to answer. >> before we get to discussion, questions, whatever, it's thrown open, let me just give one other The last thing they sort of threw in there flippantly was the MARB. Municipal Accountability [clears throat] And MARB is the Municipal Accountability Review Board. It historically has been cities and towns. And so, they made this cute little change to say, "And oh, well, we're going to let MARB
018also apply to school districts." And they changed the law to say, "Okay, MARB can now apply a school district can apply to be you know, in MARB." And oh, and you know, I remember uh I think it was Thashin was the first one to say to me, "Hey, um we threw in this MARB, and you could get 10 or 20 million dollars from MARB." Isn't that nice? And you know, the team's team's 10, 20 million dollars, that'd be great. And in fact, depending on who I had a discussion with in that last week or so, it was like, oh, MARB's got money in all kinds of closets, and they do. I heard numbers that go in the hundreds of millions that MARB has released last week in this and that closet that hasn't been used
019from past years. Our 5 million may be stashed away in the drawer in the in the in it's you know, it's the uh it's the office of uh OBM uh um OPM, Office of Policy Management. Uh it's it's a subdivision of Office of Policy Management. And so, it's like, yeah, they got money. They probably That was where our 5 million was. Um so, it's probably in one drawer over there, too. The question that they didn't figure out was how do they didn't they didn't they didn't finish figuring out how it gets how we apply how we get it. So, it sort of said, "Hey, the State Department of Ed is going to handle this part." And they'll designate somebody being responsible for that. Well, they haven't even designated anybody. They haven't assigned somebody that responsibility.
020We don't know who to talk to. We don't know who to ask who what what are the strings that are attached to that, how we apply, what it you know, so MARB you know, the board's been talking for weeks. What does this mean? Who do we talk to? Can we get somebody down here and tell us what it takes to apply, what strings are attached? How do we get in? How do we get out? What does it mean? Uh so, and it certainly doesn't balance our budget by June 30th. Um so, even if we got 10 or 20 million out of MARB, we wouldn't get it by June 30th. Uh it would be 6 months into the year, 3 months into the year, 9, 10, 12 months into the year. So, MARB uh it's it's
021it's there. It's going to be a factor during the year. It's not going to be a factor in balancing our budget. And that's unless unless it frees up through the State Department of Ed and the OPM that 5 million they allocated last year and we happen to be able to figure out a way to get get that free. Send that 5 million free. So that was that other thing I just wanted to mention that MARB is out there. It's just so unclear to us right now that we don't know exactly what it means and what it's worth. Yes. Yes. I was just thinking we go on the Roman the initial I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. That's all right. of what we did and then well first let me just see if there's any questions
022about what we were talking Questions about any of this? Yeah. I have I have some and and then maybe a little bit of input. So Jen now we met with Peter a long time and our understanding is just a little bit different from what you said about how those people are going to come to us. So he said we're going to get this 15 million from the ECS like program whatever the ECS not the EPS. Yes. Um we were going to get >> [clears throat] >> 10 million from the city and the rest of the money was going to come through the MARB type program. That's right. That's that's what he said. Then um what what I came to understand through my people up in Hartford and then um Councilman Newton is that we're getting
023the 15 million from the ECS and this the mayor still have his 5 million but that other 5 million was coming from the P Quat funding. Not 10 million from P Quat and 10 million from the city. That is not It already happened. It's all done and >> It's all done. They told us We have 10 million. We have it passed through. We have the 10 million >> the money was passed through. There was a problem Oh, on um May May 5th, May 5th No, May 4th. May 4th I was down there at the city council meeting and May 4th or 5th Yeah, May 4th. Monday, May 4th I was at city council meeting doing some lobby work and speaking. And uh the the poll board being Destiny and there was a little thing in
024the back room for her. And I'm talking to Don and he I came to those There's a problem. Pass through money won't Right now, the way the pass through money is written, it's going to count towards our MC NBR. And so, we're not going to pass it through. Because it'll count towards NBR. And I said, "That was my understanding. That wasn't going to count towards NBR." And he said, "Right, but it's going to." So, I I mean, literally wrote a text right there in the back room with the food and everything. Don Ed saying My to Stash him saying Stash him says there's nothing in the language that says it's not going to count towards NBR and we didn't hear back. And it was a three-way text. Wednesday noon, we both got a text back
025from Stash him saying, "This bill Senate bill so-and-so so-and-so fixes the problem. It'll be debated in the house tonight and should be passed." So, are we getting 10 million passed through? Well, it's right It's all right here. Yeah. Plus 10 million from the city because the understanding That was Yes. The mobile slot. Right. But the Well, the 10 million from the city supposedly is made up of 5 million that the mayor passed plus 5 million from this pastor. That's how they got to 15. No. No. That's not the way it went down. It's the city council. >> The city increased their contribution 5 million today. Yes. That made up the local contribution. >> Well, So, we got 15. city council members that we were able to up it to 15 million because the state made
026it possible for us to use the PEQUOP money. We got the PEQUOP money. No, Ernie's been trying to take credit. Actually, I heard Ernie say I think it's a misunderstanding of what the community thought. >> No, I heard Ernie say twice we gave 20 million to the Board of Ed. Twice I heard him say this. 10 from the city and 10 that we passed through from the state. And it's a funny little thing at that press conference that we all had at the mayor's press conference. We did a Fairchild He said it there. Um It's happening. Oh, yeah. Where we all stood there at the end of Fairchild Wheeler and the Board of Ed and city council and the mayor and and the state legislators and Chris Rosario chair and seated. And Ernie said this
027and and actually Antonio Fleming and they know what I mean said, "You should sue them for misrepresentation of the settlement." And and I'm thinking I'm thinking, you know, I'm not getting in the middle of that lawsuit. But, Ernie was taking credit for 20 million from the city. Um meaning the 10 million they passed through from the state and the 10 million they gave themselves. And I thought, "Oh, isn't that cute? They're they're all fighting over who gets credit for the 10 million that was passed through." But, he does, you know, he's taking credit for passing it through and Dr. Avery says some cities aren't passing it. And that is true. Yeah. He takes credit >> I understand. That was my attitude, too. It's around the understanding of how the money has actually been a flow
028to the board of education because if and the money is not in the bank yet, then we don't can use we can't use it. And um you know, staff's from Barb like program thing, you know, right now like you said means almost nothing because the There's no guidance. And when we asked him about it, I spoke to him I'm on all the data management last week. I spoke to him last week um because he had put out a statement being like that my money is like, "Cool, we don't know where it is." And he tried to say, "Oh, that's misleading. You shouldn't say that." But so I got on the phone with him and I was like, "If we don't have it, we don't And then if you didn't write something and promise we're giving
029you $20 million in the budget, we don't have it. He's like, "Oh, process efficiency and this that and the other." So I just wanted to be clear about what we got, how we got it. Yeah, and this is this is the 10 pass through the city. That's the that's the $35 million that everything has been listed out there, you know, and that's it. But we have a 40 on deficit. So we don't have enough to but everybody thinks it's somehow above and beyond that we got 35 millions on top of filling that 45 already. It doesn't work that way. >> Right. So we So when we say, "Where's Where's Still in transit. Yes. Yes. Yeah. I mean, what you're saying is nothing's going to be cut. So we were under the impression that still things
030would have to be cut. >> Well, in in my analysis as we work through trying to find a $10 million, you know, you know, perspective, then yes, we're I feel we're going to be able to get there, but I'm not going to publicly say that because I'm not I'm still working through after June 29th, I have to present another budget update to the board about where we are, and we're working through some of those efficiencies because we had a we had the audit report that's making us go back through and do some efficiency studies in what we're doing. We're looking at transportation, we're looking at services being provided, we're looking at all those things that we can do better within systems to gain dollars. And so, that's kind of one of the things that we're
031doing right now, and I feel very confident that we're going to be able to find that that 9 to 10 million dollars to balance the budget, you know, without cutting any staff. So, I can say that, you know, pretty, you know, positively that we don't we won't have to cut staff. And that's a big thing. I want to make sure that that is I can publicly say that, but but we still have work to do. Uh which we're we have preliminary numbers, but I still want them to my staff to refine those numbers before I present them to the board for final approval. So, if I could ask a follow-up question following this. Along the same lines, uh so, I know, you know, you're pretty positive that you can get to the 9 to 10
032million dollar gap gap without cutting staff. But, I'm also not hearing about spending toll shares and some other things. Like, it is it I mean, I'm not a millionaire. No, not that. But, yeah. But, given the fact that we're so we got so much to lose, this is a time of year where people are trying to figure out where they want to be, staff-wise. You don't want to put that out there because you don't want to lose people. And we don't want to do that. We just want to make sure that we're stable. And I want to make sure that we are stable, and and so school closings is is something that that as we look at our strategic plan for the next, you know, few years, we will be able to figure out and
033find other ways to enhance the dollars, and that's going to be on the table. Nothing's going to be off the table. And so we're going to talk about those, but this is not the right time to do that. So and I get it cuz again, you know, student, parent, third provider, um but it it's that pendulum that keeps swinging and the uncertainty, the anxiety, the fears that everyone, parents, students, educators have around we simply don't know. Um In hindsight, I wish that we attached the burning need, right? We have a $44 billion budget. That's almost $25 too close for this school year. Delegation power of the public because we cut, cut, cut, and cut, and cut some more. Like are we going to get to the point of fix and see where we're only educating
034a certain population because at this point how much more efficient can you get, right? Uh I want to say we've had about 10 years consistently of nuts. It's 10 whole years, and programs, people, things are just not coming back. And to be and May 21st needing a balanced budget by June 1st or June 2nd, I think he said you have until, but uh you know, the public by June 1st, they're kind of concerned and looking at you still have 9 or 10 million dollars. I don't know about the rest of you all, but I'm not million. But that seems like a really if I got 9 million dollars, I don't know what I'm going to do with it. But if I had to cut 9 million, I'm looking at how is that done? The state
035should won't get it, right? We We know some people will leave, some people will have to get replaced. Um Bus routes you can probably change that. I think the board did change the walking distance last year to pre-be proactive, right? So, when you're starting a budget for next year, but with the increased cost of electricity and bussing, so where is the cost savings? And I remember being here in December where it was we 5 million dollars we have to lock those back, but then we still have the budget deficit. So, I think I just feel all with commencement. Can I explain that a little bit for you, Chair? What does it efficiency Efficiency is not all about cutting. All right. Efficiency is about systems running the way they need to run. This No one's looked
036at what we do internally in this district. And so, when you start looking at how you run a payroll department, how you run a benefits department, how you run a transportation department, food service, all these things, that's the efficiency that we're that we're talking about. We spend money just like this and no one understands that you can't We don't do I don't do my budget like that. I look at how we spend the money, what I'm spending the money on. Is that effective or not? Do I need to back off? We don't do that in this district. We're back in the 20 back in the 1800s when you start to look at how we do our business. We do everything paper and pencil. You can't You can't be efficient in the largest district in Connecticut.
037You can't do business that way. We We hand do requisitions to one department Efficiency is about automating systems where you get an email when you have a requisition that you have to approve, supervisor. You go through that, you make sure there's a budget that correlates with that. We don't do that. We do it in a in a very manual way. And and and and I have to say they did a pretty good job over the last 10 years, but it's not efficient. We could We We will save so much money by the things that we're doing, you know, right now within the district with the state technical systems team. We're We're creating manuals. We're creating process flow charts, things that when We have a lot of stuff rotating through the division, right? And then people
038get new and they don't know everything they need to know, so it just doesn't get done. That's the efficiency that we're doing right now. Bus routing. Bus routing should be automated. You know, you got We got bus routes going by each other and instead of having five buses going through the same street, you have one. You know, and so the other ones can go this way instead of going this way, and all that's automated. You know, and so you cut down on maybe Don't have five buses now, you only have three buses. So, you're saving 88,000 out of a bus per year on a bus. Those are the efficiencies I'm talking about, and we're doing that. And And that's millions and millions of dollars that we're going to be recouping back in order to get
039that 9 to 10 million. And those are really simple things that we that we're going to be able to do to make that work. Uh we have the Munis system on our finance side. it's the same needed for the same uh finance system that the city uses. Guess what? Board of Ed doesn't use all those functionalities that they use on their side. Why not? We used to We used to 5 to 10 years ago. You know, but leadership in this district came aboard and they did it the way they wanted to do it. And that's not the way you do business. Why not we And so so So when you look at the efficiencies, that is it. >> I'm going to Now I'm going to stop you cuz I understand What I do understand is
040is that over the next few weeks we need to look at questions in the discussion that you're having Hold on a second. Please do. And this is a budget discussion. Not an advocacy discussion. And it's a legitimate discussion. I'm not trying to say it's not. But as I understand it, we are going to be having this discussion on um how much can we save with efficiencies? And that is what the state technical The original technical assistance team was sent in here to do to make us more efficient, more um efficient with the use of our money and how we do things. And that is where we're going to see has that borne fruit. Um and how much are we going to save from that effort? Um both teams, first one and the second one, too,
041as we look at this budget and the superintendent has expressed that he's confident that he'll narrow the gap, if not eliminate the gap, of that last 9 million. And it is it was always 9.1 million. We rounded up in the effort to advocate for more money. Now let's be honest. I get just over 9 million. Yes. Um I'm trying now to settle. Um I want to point out, in answer to what you mean was asking, this is the summary. We'll send you the rest to me in a minute of what the blue state passed of the 15 and the 10.3 million that we were given from the state." It was passed through. The 10.3 was the pass-through money that city could keep or pass through. The city of Bridgeport passed through all of it to
042the Board of Ed, which is what they did. On top of it, they gave us the 10 million, 5 million and the 5 million that they budgeted, they gave it all 10 upfront this year. Um you know, they originally budgeted five this year, five next year. They gave all 10 upfront this year. So, we got 35 million, which was really the you know, to go back to our our accomplishment. Um so, we're at 35 million that we have. And now we have to a 9.1 that round down now because we're looking in reality a 9.1 million dollar budget gap that we need to address. And that's his job to come through with the proposal for how we address that that he'll be presenting over the next few weeks to us. And his staff and he
043can work out a lot of that with the certain things that he's talking about now. But tonight, we want to look at having accomplished what we accomplished. Um how we how we did. Um and what we need to do because next year it it just to be clear, it's not 10 year. Really it's 13 years since they froze this. Um and that is we passed a budget of 106 millions to address the things we've cut over those 13 years because we haven't we haven't been more efficient. We have been cutting, cutting, cutting for 13 years. And we made a budget to try and restore, restore, restore some of those cuts. And that's what we're hoping to do. And if they fix these, yes. Um you know, whether it's through the Blue Ribbon Commission that the
044governor that was also asked, or whether it's through uh you know, uh fully funding the ECS and passing all tax as we've argued for that will be the fine next year when there's a full budget passed and that's you know where we need to get ready and that's the the point that we're talking about tonight. So Yeah. Have a quick um question that piggybacks to yes or no to Mr. Superintendent piggybacks on Faith's question. In the 30 the um >> [clears throat] >> the forensic audit of the 34 suggestions, were there um were there dollars uh uh uh suggested that you could save on each of those? No. Yeah and that's that was the task of the second uh technical assistance team is to really look at those and then my job was to try
045to figure out how we get there and then once we get some of those some of those dollar figures came out like to Medicare. And so we're we're doing things that we've never done in in previous years where we're getting reimbursed for dollars that we could have done 10 years ago but starting this year and and that was about half a million dollars. Next year we should we should you know calculate probably a million dollars savings from that. So So things that we did we've never done they've helped us to to to bring those to light and really going to put that dollar amount on our budget to kind of keep moving forward. Thank you. Yeah. Now you had something you wanted to make. >> Well I thought that we could just I I was
046curious to get everyone's opinion kind of like okay how do we do like what's positive about our struggle and then um you know what could we do better or what can we do next year to strengthen even more the effort cuz we really have to be strong. That was sharing you are That's fine I have it. the the agenda was essentially a report on what we um you know what we had done and then so what people thought about it and where we're going. So that was your happy to start. Strengths always start with strengths. I think the kids were really the biggest shining star which is not a surprise, right? Their testimonies, their you know, their advocacy I think was was pretty incredible to watch and to see and they spoke you know, very
047eloquently and very truthfully about the situations and then they're involved in it every day, right? It's their lives. The community involvement I think was was fairly adequate. I think we need possibly some other organizations involved in the future. I think as an educator my weakness I would probably say was education staff wasn't as involved as they could have been. I'm hoping to rectify that through the BEA in the coming year. We've been having some discussions on how to address this and we'll see where things can go. So I guess it's my quick balance sheet of things that I would say my thoughts are I happen to agree with that. I think you have great analysis of those two high points and then the low points is that more educational you know, staff should be involved
048teaching and administrators you know, and and from the beginning and not just at the end. And so a lot of them stepped up at the end and kind of you know, rallied the troops with us. But again, I think there's there should have been a lot more of that. Yeah, I think finding ways to like make that accessible to them or finding a place for them in that, you know, and I think you know, obviously coming to an ad hoc maybe this has been no space to do that, but even having a bridge or a link to this committee, you know, I think it's a initial step for people and then understanding as to why that's important. I think you know, that needs something that's discussed initially from the get-go in the beginning of the
049school year. And it's something that we can find you know, even smaller ways for people to take a piece of this community and bring it into their schools or vice versa and bring it back here. So, those are things that I've been trying to think about and you know, happy to hear other people's thoughts on that as well. What I would suggest I'd like to make Yeah, what I what I'd like to make is to have Yeah, I I think the thought exchange of of putting advocacy out there to the community and the staff and say, "Hey, what are ways that we that you feel that we can help you connect with the advocacy piece and then we can pull that together and then use that as a guiding point for us and team if
050you can look at you know, possibly doing that. Um I think the other advocacy piece is the community in whole. Really, I mean, we had different opportunities to come together and say, "Hey, we're united." That was really important for just the optics of what Bridgeport was all about. That was very powerful. Uh and but I think we need to do a lot more social media opportunities and make it powerful and my communication team, they they love that type of space. I think we need to figure out other ways of social using social media to do that. I think we we already kind of have a sense of what the you know, what the issue is. Like we have to make sure that that discussed formula is increased so that it's funded properly so we don't
051have the $25 million budget deficit next year. Possibly setting up a campaign initially from the get-go in this in this school district with like maybe at least a monthly event. And so we can set out a schedule of events and possibly other groups can talk about things that they might want to do. I don't want to put you all on the spot but I know like Bridgeport Generation Now has different events. Even if they host their own event that's related to something, we can put it onto the calendars and you have a centralized calendar, things of that nature where it's not so onerous or that too difficult for groups to be involved with that can be attached to it and discussing it with their members and their people as well. So, I know you guys
052are already doing other people are doing this stuff already anyway. Just linking it all together. Tim, so the first thing that I want to I think this group personally uh it's been so long that every year around this time it's it's it's more of a doom and gloom period of time because there's at this point we could be talking COVID in a sense. Every year has been where we have had the fear of cuts and consistently and it's either losing services or such other. So, I I want to thank this committee for the efforts they've had to do what we've done. I think that I think it's it's it seems like you know we didn't the the full number but to the the impact that we've made it's going to affect kids and I I
053think that's the main thing that we have to like look at as as a clear way. Um in the fact that we can now even though it's not advancing services we provide provide the same services that we provided like this year which is a which is a win. Um and and and if we look at the to to to your point I I I for for because we lost so many years every year has been a cut every year has been a thing. I think for staff I mean yes we said we were advocating but but I I think it was a it's they have been used to to the the they come to this time of year where it has been a we will send messages about to the council and go to the
054board button forms and such other. They wasn't results to to to come with that. After so this having the results will now have the teachers now will have the educators because the results are coming. And so I think that I think we will our building into that. I spoke with a person who deals with the state earlier this year and he mentioned because we were optimistic about this our goals to take fund and he he was a very he wasn't as optimistic and he said and he said that it takes only two years and obviously to get results. And so we've been able to provide results but in less than that. And so we have to take the wins that we have and and then also build on those wins. I think I think we're
055doing a really good job of that. I think the the the I can't even say that it's negative but I think we need to bring everyone together regardless of what your views are whatever. It's it's education and we're looking at two things. We're looking at increasing education funding and we're increasing revenue from the state so they can do that long term. That is that regardless of what party you're in regardless of whatever you that is something I think that everyone agrees with because regardless it's the future of Connecticut is that is that old. So that's my my take word. And in fact that jumping and piggybacking I do believe that um being a young student on the mayor's council when I'm at Harding High School to where I am today um long term sustained advocacy
056can get you the participation from a community right but they have to see some results and you are absolutely correct. People do tend to walk away. I think Robin I had that conversation as well when we put so much energy into something only to be met with a closed door or a closed fist. The pocketbook did not open. So people got disappointed and we all have our disappointments and you know we go with a quarter meeting right? Um so that's not abnormal, but I will say again, you know, I think the committee uh the board of Ed, superintendent's leadership, um had a lot to do with some of the gains that were made this year. But the the population that I'm more I want to tune in on, too, um educators. Um I I looked
057at an old report that talked about educators, most of our educators living outside of Bridgeport, right? And at another ad hoc committee, I talked about we have nine members of our delegation, but 187 people that will vote on the budget. Our teachers live in these other communities. How are you utilizing them or helping them utilize their voices to get their elected votes? I work in Bridgeport, but I live in Killingly, wherever, right? Whatever city, right? Right. But I've seen some addresses where I'm like, "Oh, you are really dedicated." Which again speaks volumes to that educator, right? But my point in bringing that up was this was a year where we saw communities that never had a budget deficit, was never ever going to be in cuts. This was the year to go beyond our borders
058and build those bridges to those communities and maintain those. Why? Because now they're at the beginning of it. We are in the middle of it. When you talk about people not using systems or whatnot, there was no one here. There was a time this floor was dark because there was no central office, right? Um so if, you know, as we continue to build this movement, to Jason's point, or excuse me, Mr. Papa's point. See? I knew it. Okay. You know, if it's going to be on streaming, so I didn't want to get up here and get all emotional. Okay. But, to your point, how do we get our educators, for one, to advocate? Because they're in these classrooms every day with our students, too. So, what does it come to Bridgeport actually impacts their ability
059to do their job well? What's going to impact their health? Right? So, how do we use that opportunity to get them to now say to their elected official and their governor, "Hey, I work in these schools. This is what it's like. So, when you get up to Hartford, I need your support." Parents, that population, the largest district in the state, you would think that we might have the largest group of parents to be or guardians to be able to work with, right? Where are they? How do we get them? Um because if we have our district pacts, blue governance councils, I used to be on the district pact. And one of my biggest things was, how do we train our pact presidents and vice presidents to bring that information back to their schools so that
060parents are more comfortable with advocacy? The parents are informed, they're getting the information that they need about what their children are going through. How do we elevate that? How do we use the systems to, you know, pick up Dr. Avery and the efficiency piece, right? How do we make these things that are already in place efficient where it's supposed to be that audience pact there. How do we utilize them effectively to get their voices heard right along with their children, right along with our educators. So, now you have three or four different populations all aiming at the same goal, right? So, now the question is how can you deny this? And if those parents didn't decide to say, "We consider this educational neglect." Because the state sets a statute of what the districts must do.
061The district is saying, "We're trying, but because we don't have sufficient funding to do these things, these are the results." Who's responsible for that? Who's held accountable for that? That's the question that, you know, I don't want to leave you all with the question with >> [laughter] >> It's kind of a question. I'll say that I thought that um we all did great job in getting the delegation to act like it was their top priority. They said it was their top priority for a long time, but we've never really seen that much action. And um you know, on the days that we were up in Hartford, probably like four days, five days throughout the session, um we asked other legislators, like, "What's Springfield doing?" You know, we asked uh Twitter, like, "Are they like tell
062us the truth. Are they serious?" And he did say that uh like on the first day of session or at their first meeting with him, they were saying that they had to do something about education. So, um that's a good thing, you know, cuz we sometimes they'll say one thing and know that they're doing something else, but this time I think they had no choice. You know, and they couldn't hide. You know, even though they tried, you know, you go up there and they trying to whatever, but I found that that was good that there was a lot of pressure put on um um, our delegation to do something. But that's it. That's it. I don't know what comes up. Alvarez, Maurice is letting you go first. Thank you. Um, good evening everyone. I'm going
063back with um, as Miss Viejas said about the pack and PTSO president. We supposed to have a district pack. Years back, the Board of Education decide to remove the district pack for Bridgeport public school. That's why I'm always trying to have the district pack because when we got the district pack, president and vice president and members at large and secretary, they're the one in charge for go each school and talk with all pack and and PTSO president from Bridgeport public school. They are the one helping to um um, how can I explain it? Like you said, Miss Vieja, um Oh my god, help me with that, Miss Vieja. You said a few words before. Help them um, how to do the process, how to do everything, how to do work work with parents. And the
064district pack will um, have a meeting and talk with Kate. Kate helped our district pack how to um, guide everyone in this before we go. That's the first thing. That's the first thing we had to um, to work each school. And after every I believe you have somebody work with that for the pack and PTSO. So, trying to have a district pack and district pack will speak with all the pack president PTSO president. So, you and your staff they don't have so much stuff. So, any any pack president will go directly to the district PAC presidents and the board. Thank you, Mr. Um Favor. Um um personally, I wanted I was texting with a parent a parent um Jenny was texting me and um I think I would be remiss if I don't say what
065she mentioned to me, which was she disagrees that educators need to be involved. Um in her perspective, educators have one goal and one job and it's to educate our children. And I think she just wants to be cognizant of that that we don't every year there's new guidelines in and we're constantly adding to them like and now we're going to add something else. I did mention, you know, their point of view is very very important because it's demonstrating what is missing from their classrooms that can help make their jobs a little bit easier. Um So, just kind of wanted to put that out there. Um the other thing that I did want to mention was about the parents. Where are the parents? So, very early on, my kids go to Discovery. I did a presentation
066for the SGC and for the PAC. I didn't see any of those parents at any of our meetings, even though I got really good reception during those meetings and I got commitment that they would attend. And I will say it is really difficult juggling so much at the same time you're volunteering for school pictures, you're volunteering for you know, for different activities and then you're adding the ad hoc committees. Um so, I guess my my question is kind of what you said thing. How do we get them in? So that's part of the problem. The other part is you have parents that wish they can get be involved, but they can't be involved because they have to work two, three jobs. So where can we meet these different types I would say sectors of parents
067that have a variety of different issues. How do we meet Where do they meet? Where can we meet them so that they can be engaged and they're you know and how can they provide us their feedback? One thing I will say, I have a very large family and even trying to get them to help me. I said, I was like here's a template. I need you to send it to these places and this is what we're fighting for and they all agreed on the mission that that's what should be happening. However, in order to articulate their words or figure out this is what I want. It's almost like they got so used to things being so bad that they didn't even know where to start or who to ask. So I just threw a bunch
068of stuff out there, but um one thing that I will say is keeping the pressure. We got to win. We got to keep the pressure on them. I think that's a a strength that we're going in to to the this next session. My other thing that I just I thought here was we should probably start the advocacy in the fall, start meeting rather than starting in January this year. Given the different situations, we started late, but I think the earlier the better. Um, so that's all my thoughts. And >> Cameron Nicole. There's two people that haven't spoken yet, so I'm Sure. So, so again, we're we're talking about the strengths and where we can improve, correct? >> Positives, negatives, good things, bad things, recommendations, whatever. However you want to phrase it. I felt um, what
069made a difference in the overall outcome was the students um, coming together and um, lending a voice um, and advocating for themselves, right? So, who does this affect the most? Right, we talk a lot about the teachers, we talk a lot about the community. This definitely um, always affects the students. And so to hear the voice of the students, I believe made a very strong impact. I also believe what made a strong impact is I've I have yet to witness from um, any year prior the amount of um, the the many, many constituents, right? From from parents to guardians to educators to administrators to students really coming out and giving giving voice, giving testimony to state leadership. Um, so I think that also made an impact as well. Um, I I believe that was a
070strength. I would like to see more um, more of that. And um, thank you. Thank you. >> [laughter] >> Um, uh, improvements, there's always room for improvement, right? I would like to see more advocacy groups um, coming out and giving voice, right? I would like to see more collaboration and not so much separation um, from these advocacy groups. I would like to see the very advocacy groups from Faith Acts to Bridgeport Generation Now to and I'm just using that as an example to make the road to all of us collectively, right? As a team, as a collective effort to come together and say we are coming together arm in arm because this is what we believe so strongly. And um I would like to see more of that. I would like to see the possibility
071of that. Um of that happening at an at an a >> [clears throat] >> a greater greater effort. And I would like to see more parents uh give voice and to share their stories. Um I know that we are we are dealing with um a diverse population of parents and families. Some of them, as um Madam Secretary mentioned, um you know, some of them work two, three jobs. They would like to be involved, but they cannot. We have um immigrant families who may be concerned, right? Or fear getting involved. Um And we just have maybe we have parents who do not know how to start to get involved, so they do not, right? So they don't even I don't even want to say they don't try, but they just don't know where where to turn,
072right? So um or they feel intimidated may possibly intimidated to to give voice. So I I think reaching out to parents even more, making an effort, um how what however that looks like uh to to reach out to parents and families. And to focus on the fact that not every adult that cares for a child within the system is a parent per se. They could be a grandparent, they could be an aunt, they could be a foster parent, they could be a familial guardian of some sort. So, reaching out to them Right, reaching out to them and saying, "But you care for this child. This is This is the child that you care for, right?" You become involved. So, I would like to see more of that. I uh, I want to like respond in
073kind of way just so everybody knows in terms of what what's going on with advocacy and then make another suggestion. One is from 2016 up and through COVID, and now Make a Difference Faith Acts were together, strong, advocating every year together, sharing testimony, talking about education, showing up together. Like so, the we're small advocacy community in Bridgeport, but we um, we have always worked together and respected uh, each other. Um, I think the last few years, um, we have settled into a different way of being. One is Faith Acts is no longer headquartered in Bridgeport. They were doing a lot of advocacy around uh, charter schools. They since kind of reentered the picture and did some public school stuff this year, and they worked primarily on the state. Now, Make a Difference Faith Acts is
074the most local of local local. Like we You know, we're like Bridgeport is literally in our names. So, we like you know, our focus you know, is very strongly like at our budget things. Although, you know, we we're in the state now from a different position, but so, just I wanted to give people a little bit of situational like awareness and make the road like you know, everything that is going on in the immigrant community right now with this current administration, you know, we've all all three of our organizations have had to make hard choices. So, I I can't promise you that you know, like well, we are always there you know, like and if there's something that can be done together, we will cuz we you know whatever. So, I just wanted to like
075let that be known um cuz it was very we were all very proud of the way we showed up for years cuz nobody it was just us. We each showed up, you know, our way. The other is as we move into um next year I think we have to stiffen our spines a little bit and understand that we care very deeply about our children, but a lot of people around the state do not. And some people do not they do not believe that our children deserve the same education as their children. So, we are up against different kind of headwinds around the state and we're up against that, you know, even with the governor and even totally. I'm just not going to um you know, I'm just not going to say that. You know, so,
076I just want us to understand that you know, we are when we as we move into next year knowing where the advocacy groups are, knowing the headwinds that we're up against, knowing where we are locally, I really do believe that we have to come together and start to offer some solutions. You know, I I made that statement at the um budget uh meeting um this time because we cannot continue year after year to beg our local government for what we deserve. Like we cannot keep begging. We have to come up with a solution to the problem and then maybe get behind that. And I know, you know, we don't have to get into it now cuz this is not a you know, strategic meeting or anything, but um if the if if the library board
077can do it, I don't know One more thing. I'm a group that I'm curious about their ability to advocate for. I'll wait on that. Quickly. Um the colleges. Right? Because if we are our product is going to access secondary institutions, uh I thought of my virtual town hall conversations and the feedback is, "Well, what are y'all doing to get them better prepared?" And they're the So, Foster children, there may be an opportunity to get these universities and colleges at the table to help advocate and understand why, "Hey, you invest in K-12, we won't spend 5 and 1/2 to 6 years getting a 4-year degree." Maybe that's the policy. I don't True point. I was asking permission to speak. Uh I'm Mr. Cheatham. You have 1 2 3 4 and then I'll go around cuz we
078want to be done at 11:00. Um Kim. Uh, I mean, I don't want to be saying things that everybody else said, I think. Um, but, you know, we came together a way I haven't seen this come together. I mean, his warming. I think we had kids to what it's all about. Really it was phenomenal. And there were other kids from other cities and they just didn't It's not coming here. And I I would never say that he had a really good time. Okay. But they really were phenomenal. So, um, but I have have a couple suggestions which is and they're based on conversations I've been having in the last week or two. Um, that I'm going out and trying to begin organizing us on stuff in Bridgeport. Um, obviously, we need a central place where
079we're bringing new people in, right? And I think this is the place. Um, and so for instance, I'm working with Mick the Road in a pretty extensive way these days. And we're making We're making on on undocumented. Um, and um, I'm working with Elan. I'm walking patrols, ICE patrols, um, with Kevin. We're about We're developing, um, We've been doing, uh, canvassing, door-to-door canvassing. And we are where we're um, giving information about about the new laws, but also, uh, really recruiting leadership as we find them to develop, um, community little community groups that can support each other, whether they're undocumented, whether they're citizens, um, but um, we're not recruiting them for the patrols. We're really recruiting mostly white people for the patrols just because ICE Um, right. But what we're now doing is we're talking with
080the teacher's union and we're about to begin incorporating two issues into our door-to-door, which is um education issue, this issue. And this work we're taking some time to figure out how to do it, but as we're saying people our members in the teacher's union and in Make the Road, right? We we have more than one issue. We're people complicated people with more than one issue. And people are rich. People are really angry. And um and I'm bumping into people. I bumped into a woman yesterday that had um gone door-to-door with us in the past with had bones in there and and she said to me, she's a retired nurse out of the school system. She said, "Kim, where have you been? What are you doing?" And I said, "Well, I'm doing ice controls and you
081know, we're bumping into She's Latina. I'm there. Where are you doing when are you doing them? I'm there. And you know, it was like, "Oh, okay." So, and then I said we're doing the education. I'm there. Um and so we're trying to figure out how to do this right, but we're going to be doing it all summer. Um we're doing it 7 days a week right now. So, I'm saying this because I think it's the answer to how do we find the parents, but not just parents, the grandparents, Mhm. right? And everybody else and people that just care about education and care about what ICE is doing and what the gas prices are doing, what everything else is doing. All right? And so I would like as we get this going, I'm going to obviously
082ask those of you that done it to come out with us to see what it's like. It may not be your cup of tea, so you might not want to do more than once or twice, but I know some of you have done this sort of thing and I think it's the answer. And I think what we can do, for instance, at Make the Road today, speaking to other people who say I said the strategy meetings from what we did cuz they loved the education here. The strategy meetings are the ad hoc meetings. I said, "Really? That's not what we were told." I said, "We need to invite you to be at the Citizens table." She said, "I want to sit at that table." Um she brought a couple high school kids to the testimony
083in City Hall. So she couldn't come tonight. She She wanted to come. So we can have a throat sitting at our table. Right? And I think we can do that to some other organizations. So that's That's what I would do. Is build this table and then help them build their organization. I want to move on and just say it is one way to do that. Right. >> Not the way. Right. I'm sorry. Do you have something to >> Jay, you were next. >> Well, I I'll defer, but I do want to speak. So then I'll go. One, two, three, and then I'll go. You know, I think he brings up some interesting points and I think important points. And I think, you know, one, the underfunding of education is deeply political in a city like
084this. It has to do with race and class dynamics that we need to be able to present to people. That's the kind of thing that I mean, we're going to talk I mean, we're going to politicize this at some level like just the national context in which underfunding of education sits, right? And what does that mean? What are the implications down the long term? So I think that's the first thing. I'm not going to draw all that, so I want to speak for a minute or two. Secondly, you know, email blasts or free social media is important and put it in an add-on to face-to-face conversations, networks, building relationships with people in ways that people trust each other enough. I mean, that's a big trust when you're coming out and you're undocumented and you're You
085trust someone enough to tell people things like that. But that's important and I think that's the kind of work that's important in doing that as well. So when you say educators or your friends as educators shouldn't be involved, there is a There are some educators who probably feel that way and I'm not going to admonish them for that, but there's a whole host of educators and growing current that are saying the students' living conditions and and education conditions are my working conditions and part of my my life as well, right? I've been in the city personally for 20 Well, longer than that, but I've been in education business in the city 23 years. That's my life, right? That's a part of my life and you can't divorce those things. Um and you have to realize
086this this situation that we're in and we have to we have to push through it the way we're doing. Anyway, I think those are important and I think the larger context of all of this is just at a state convention. Uh it was like the delegate assembly and you saw, you know, I think what you're talking about faith with statewide problems that are happening to education, not just in the cities themselves. >> Nationally. It's happening everywhere. Nationally, yes. I was in a meeting now where even where I thought our state I came from the larger urban schools do the same know they're they're closing schools cuz Texas. Texas. Absolutely. Philadelphia 17 What do you mean about schools and and what are I've never seen it before. So, these things are happening and people aren't people
087aren't thinking including to it in a way that I think even the past haven't been. That's starting to happen. The discussions at even the state level with amongst, you know, 40,000 educators 100 and something different towns, you know, bring them these types of conversations much easier than it was three or four years ago. So, I think like people are clued into it and then really quickly there's a higher percentage of teachers who live in Bridgeport and work in Bridgeport than I think you realize and there's members of educators unions who live here may not teach in Bridgeport as well. We can tap those potentials. But I think all that comes down to the kind of organizing discussions that I think comes talking about. Sorry. Um Nicole, you know, I'm going to change the subject, but
088I'm going to go back to applause. You can go first. >> Follow up to what you were saying. Never understood why we never collaborated K-12 educators and and administrative K-12 educators in leadership never collaborated with colleges and universities. I also believe that a strong example are the testimonies of college students who were products of these of the the Bridgeport Public School System that advocated say I don't want my sister, I don't want my brother, I don't want my cousins, I don't want any other students to experience what I've experienced. I teach one of students is a Greenwich student, is a Ridgefield student because of how ill-prepared some of them are. I am I am being affirmed here and I understand and absolutely agree. I have three other speakers with her. Okay. Uh that's all I
089wanted to say. That's all I wanted to say. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm going to go by what Miss City Council Miss Nelson say about the parents. She is absolutely right, but the the issue and the big problem we have is because the parents they don't come to the school and I have already spoke with so many parents, you guys know that. It's because of the situation immigration, ICE. That's the one of the big reason and they talk to me and tell them that they say, "Mr. Benavides, I'm really scared to go." Sometimes we'd love to go, but the situation is going on. They're very scared and I respect that. It's nothing we can do. That's one of the big reason sometimes we don't have parents, but I know we have to work a little
090more better to get that trust for them that they know Bridgeport Public School they will defend them and protect them. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Miss Nicole for that. Yeah, very quick. Um so when when we talk we talk about the educators not wanting to advocate, I think that's a reflection on communications of not being able to have a to develop a way to have them understand why they should. And and obviously, so, so, so, I I think part of ourselves and what we learn that we're going to do better is is trying to do bridge that gap to to see how we can make them understand that because yes, our students go and it's great, but they're not most of them are not voters. We need to get more people that have homes
091that are voters to these to these things so that we they can they're the ones that will move the needle well more than unfortunately students because they look at students as non voter people. They're a emotional thing, but it's not something that's going to get you someone that's that's a a vote. So, so, we need to get more voters and home owners to advocate for this stuff so that we can get it done. Thank you. Um, I'm I'm going to because it is the missing hour, so to speak. Um, couple of thoughts that I want to just uh tie up some things that were said. Um, we need to start sooner. We will be starting in the fall. Um, we started late this year because of the reorganization of the board, of setting up the
092advocacy committee. Um, that's my segue into I have never been an advocate. I'm an organizer. Organizing is the same as teaching. And I mean, stop being an a organizer and became a teacher, I saw it as a natural transition. Organizing is teaching adults how to have political power. Teaching is teaching children how to have educational power. It is pushing somebody to do something that they don't think they can do. And you have all the obstacles you all raised. Whether it's educators in their classroom or parents in their homes. And parents have multiple jobs and they do an amazing thing of putting a roof over their families' heads and food on the table. They have all kinds of obstacles and teachers have those same obstacles. And our job is to get them to figure out a
093way to do it. And for all the reasons you all articulated so eloquently, those are the ways that we get to them. Whether it's figuring out how to get them engaged and do your letters, you do this, you do that. We have to do that. And that's what we need to work on doing better this next year is how to reach out to them, how to get them engaged as people said. Um and that's whether it's the colleges, the going to the to the classes that the college just talked about, those different ways we need to do that. Um and the outreach is going to be very important. And um I'm going to I'll be starting this next week. You know, I'm going to go sit down and talk to Miles at the meeting in
094Cali. I want to go and sit down with Faith and just start picking brains and hearing what people have to say and suggestions. And you know, sit down with Tim and and and his partner friends. Um but what I'm doing and I know Jason's doing it. I want to point out that at the convention last year, Jay and his crew got a resolution passed that CEA would make ECS a legislative priority. Which for the first time in a decade or more, more than a way more than a decade, CEA put ECS on their legislative agenda. I used to make it I used to stomp and scream on the CEA board and they never put it on their legislative agenda. And it was this year. Not strong. By the end of the legislative session, they were
095pushing it strong. Which is a big change. And by a week or two ago, the president and vice president of CEA were doing a podcast with the president of the Massachusetts Federation of Teachers, another union, about their wealth tax in Massachusetts and how it's raised millions of dollars for schools. Which is just a whole different issue that they hadn't even been talking about. Now they're talking about taxing the rich. Which is next year's fight, too. Yeah. So, it's like what great progress we made all because they introduced and passed a resolution at the convention last year. So, it's all builds on each other. So, it's all steps and steps. So, what was really amazing is what we did last year, which was a little bit, didn't get as much, but it built on what we
096did this year, which was an amazing thing in a short session, and we got $25 million out of the legislature and $10 million unheard of out of the city council. And it it didn't balance quite, but we got came close enough to be able to hopefully balance. We'll see in the next month. Uh you all heard the discussion. We'll see. Um and our unity is we haven't seen in years in this city to to get ready for the big fight next year when the budget is made and the fight with the governor and fight with the legislators. Um and uh Bridgeport clearly asserted itself as leading that charge statewide along with New Haven and the cities among the various cities and towns cuz it isn't just a Bridgeport issue, but it's a state issue now.
097Yeah. Um what's going on in our state with the dire situation of cities, poorest cities and towns throughout the state. But, it is on the radar, everybody's radar, and uh we have a lot to be proud of because we did it. Uh and we did it with a unity and there is a unity I haven't seen in this town in a long time. Uh it still requires us to do a lot of work. Um and it's not going to be easy. Um and it's going to be a heck of a fight next year. Um but, you know, I think that we've done a great job. We have much to be proud of and we have much work ahead of us. Take a vacation while you can. >> [laughter] >> I'm doing that tomorrow. I want
098to thank everybody that helped. And the superintendent is leaving quickly tomorrow to go uh meet his new grandchild. up. And I have a bunch of little Germans and boys. On the table. I. Good thing.