Governor Says No Cuts in State School Funding; EH Would Get Its $20M

Gov. Dan Malloy promised Wednesday to give every town the same amount of school funding in his 2012 proposed budget as was appropriated this fiscal year. That means East Haven would again get $20 million. The final verdict will be decided by state lawmakers.

Malloy is expected to announce his budget proposal to the General Assembly on Feb. 16 at noon.

"We get $20 million; without that we'd be in big financial trouble," said Board of Education Chair Nick Palladino. "I have no idea what we would do (without the funding) and I hope I never have to find out."

David Bednarz, Malloy's deputy press secretary, said the governor "doesn't have any plans to change the school aid formula. His budget proposal will include full funding for ECS."

Bednarz said the governor will make budget adjustments to ensure the funding, but couldn't provide details as to where the money would come from. The 2012 state budget deficit is a projected $3.6 billion.

Most Connecticut municipalities have been sitting on the edge of their seats worried that their ECS dollars would be shaved. For the 2011 fiscal year, the state fund was given a $271-million boost in emergency federal stimulus aid to distribute around the state. But that was it. There's no more federal stimulus money.

Messages left Thursday morning for Superintendent Anthony Serio and Business Manager Jason Lathrop were not immediately returned.