Canterbury Budget 2026-2027 - What have we already lost?

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The Canterbury Budget: What have we already lost?

Posted by the Canterbury Democratic Town Committee

There's been talk about what we might lose if the second budget doesn't pass, but that's mistaken. Much of what's being discussed is already going to have to be cut based on the first budget not passing. If this second budget doesn't pass, the cuts and damage will be much, much worse. This is not a scare tactic, this is reality.

Here's what's already on the cut list:

  • Cutting 2.5 student support/para positions
  • Cutting summer enrichment (art, music, sports).
  • Switching from free to paid PreK
Protect our schools and students from further harm. If the budget doesn't pass this time, here are things that could be next:
  • Cutting school choice. Canterbury currently has the best school choice in the state which allows each family to find where their child can be most successful. We should be proud of and protect that.
  • Cutting foreign language and culture at BMS. It would set our students back by not being prepared for high school foreign language.
  • Cutting STEM program at CES. Loss of foundational Science, Technology, Engineering and Applied Math in the elementary school and the STEM pathway to middle school.
  • Reduction of student and school support staff. Loss of Tier 2 and 3 interventions for students in Math and ELA, impacting our student achievement and performance, perhaps setting students back for a lifetime.

We recommend you read our previous posts on why the mill rate had to increase like it did and an analysis of our spending for the full story, but in short:
  • We have to raise the mill rate this year because we've kept it low (zero or reductions) since before COVID and we've used our savings to protect taxpayers from the effects of rampant inflation and we no longer have the savings we did. Inflation is still happening. We need to be fiscally responsible with our savings.
  • Our spending is below the rate of inflation since before COVID. Inflation peaked at 8% during COVID and the highest increase our budgets had during that time was 4.6% Reductions and efficiencies were found, but cutting staff, art, music and sports is a bridge too far.
Vote yes on June 18!

— Canterbury Democratic Town Committee

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