WELCOME TO THE NINTH EDITION OF  
TAX TALK

Your weekly update on what others are thinking, doing, and planning 
Send your comments or questions to me, and
I will include in next week's publication.  

Bob Greene,  green_robert@hotmail.com 
Salem Taxpayers Association
Subject:  Hold on to your wallet.  Here comes another unfunded mandate. 
Date:  September 12, 2003

Universal Preschool Proposed, State Would Require Every Community To Offer Programs, By RACHEL GOTTLIEB, Courant Staff Writer
September 11, 2003

Concerned that thousands of Connecticut children do not have access to adequate preschool, the state Department of Education is crafting a proposal to offer universal preschool statewide.   The plan, with a hefty price tag, proposes that cities and towns would be required to offer preschool, but parents would not have to enroll their 3- and 4-year-olds. Parents would probably be asked to pay fees based on their ability to pay.
In one of his final acts as state education commissioner, Theodore S. Sergi urged the State Board of Education Wednesday to adopt a proposal to offer preschool to all youngsters."Why would I pick early childhood as my last back-to-school message after years and years of harping? You have seen real evidence that that investment is worth it," he said to the board. "We cannot afford not to offer preschool to every child."The education department has not yet finished a proposal to present to the board. Rather, officials briefed the board on the department's plan to come back with a proposal as early as next month and sought guidance."What happened today signals a more aggressive proposal by the state," said George Coleman, associate commissioner, explaining that while the state board has long supported the idea of the universal preschool, it has never taken the steps to put it in place. Preschool has become important because of the need to close achievement gaps and because of the consequences for students who don't succeed, he said.
Board reaction to the idea was mixed, with Chairman Craig Toensing expressing unreserved support for universal preschool and board member Donald Coolican declaring opposition "if this is going to be another unfunded mandate.""If you want to work on the achievement gap, work on this," Toensing said. "The work you're doing is tremendously important." Coolican, chairman of the school board in East Hampton, fretted about the expense of hiring teachers and building or leasing more classroom space to accommodate preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds.
Coleman took the opposition in stride, saying that the board's opinions reflect the range of views among the general public.Officials do not yet have a cost estimate for the entire state. Their analysis from a report issued in October 2000 does show that around 15,000 children in more than 40 cities and towns with the highest needs are not served. The annual operating cost for those municipalities alone could rise from the current $40 million allocated through a school readiness grant to around $106 million. And capital costs to build about 800 more classrooms are estimated at $157 million. The serious, costly sanctions that schools and districts will face under the federal No Child Left Behind law are also putting the spotlight on the need for effective early childhood programs. Preschool programs help children learn their letters and numbers, improve vocabulary, follow directions, stay on task and function socially, said Paul Flinter, chief of the state Department of Education's bureau of early childhood, family and student services. "This is one of the five greatest resource needs in Connecticut," he said.Under the state proposal, it is also not yet clear whether parents would be required to pay fees based on a sliding scale as they currently do to enroll in school readiness programs, Flinter said.Sergi said that the state would ultimately realize savings from its investment in preschool programs. If children do better in school, he said, fewer would drop out or need remedial courses or extra years in school, and fewer would end up in the criminal justice system.The longest waiting lists in Hartford and other cities appear to be for full-day, full-year programs. Flinter said that any proposals for universal access would likely preserve those comprehensive programs, but mandated programs would probably be limited to 21/2 hours a day for at least 180 days.In other business, the board selected its longtime lawyer, Mark Stapleton, to serve as interim commissioner until a permanent commissioner is named in November or December. Sergi, who retired, will step down as interim commissioner at the end of the month. Stapleton, director of the office of legal and government affairs, joined the department in 1980. He earned a bachelor of science degree in finance and his law degree from the University of Connecticut. He lives in Glastonbury.The board also downgraded a teacher training program at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield to provisional accreditation. The board's concerns stemmed from a report showing that student teachers do not get enough training with diverse populations, the curriculum is not aligned with state teaching standards, and the program lacked an affirmative action plan to recruit diverse students and teachers.  Ed Malin, chairman of the school's department of education, said the school has since created an affirmative action plan and is working on providing students with more experience teaching diverse populations. He said he believes the curriculum is now aligned with the state's standards, and Sacred Heart needs time to demonstrate that. The board ordered reports on the school's progress in February and October 2004. Copyright 2003, Hartford Courant
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Jack Walton,  jacc45@hotmail.com
Oakville Taxpayers Association
Subject:  Response to Article re Growing Federal Deficit 
Date:  August 26, 2003
Susan......It can only get worse.....China picked up millions of manufacturing jobs this year and the United States lost millions of jobs.....Less than a buck an hour in wages against US average exceeding 26 bucks an hour will not change....plus electricity the real plus for China....just completed 3 gorges dam will produce power for their industry at about 1 penny per KWH....ours in CT is running about 12 cents KWH and will continue to rise. No laws impede or add on staggering extra cost for industry compared to US. The advantage is with China so much that their is now a mass exodus from Mexico......a place manufacturing was invading 10 years ago...now on their way to China....Mexico is up in arms about being in the same boat as the USA.  I could go on and on with the advantages China has but what for......................jack 
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Bob Green, green_robert@hotmail.com
Salem Taxpayers Association
Subject:  Response to Article re Growing Federal Deficit 
Date:  August 26, 2003
Good morning, Sue. As the economy begins to pick up and the money starts rolling in, look for a flashback to the Reagan years where Treasury receipts tripled, but Congress in its infinite insanity, rather than pay down the debt with the extra cash, saw the money as a windfall and still managed to spend $2 for every $1 taken in.  I fully expect them to try the same thing again.  You would think that people would learn from history........ NOT!  Shovels anyone? Bob Green
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Maury Johnson, Mauryj1923
Stratford Taxpayers Association
QUESTION:  Senior Tax Relief Programs 
Date:  August 26, 2003
Hi Susan,   Your newsletter is very helpful!  I have a question:  Who has experience with senior tax relief programs?  We have been told that there are State "mandates" as to what can be done or what is done.  We have also heard that some towns go beyond State  suggested levels.  This is an important issue and sharing information about successful efforts to provide senior tax relief will be most helpful.  Thank you, Maury Johnson
P.S. Jim Orlowe is busily answering questions from the IRS on our filing.  I believe he has discussed this with you.  Keep up the good work!
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Roland Fisher, rolandfisher@comcast.net
East Hartford Taxpayers Association
Subject:  Now Sit Back, Relax, and Try This..........
Date:  August 14 , 2003 

While sitting at your desk make clockwise circles with
your right foot.     While doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with
 your right hand.   Your foot will change direction.