12 June—People are wondering what happened to the $2.7 million RSD 20 deficit that’s nowhere mentioned or even hinted at in the latest iteration of the region’s budget. Well, they need wonder no more. Because there’s a good reason the ineluctable deficit can’t be found in the budget: It’s not there.

No, even though the deficit probably has shrunk by a few hundred thou, it hasn’t disappeared. God forbid. Rather, in a concerted effort to make the damn RSD 20 budget less unpalatable in order to get it passed in next Wednesday’s referendum, the administrations of the region’s four towns have agreed—perhaps reluctantly—to pay off the deficit from the towns’ fund balances. Easy as that.

Clever stratagem. First, paying off the deficit from fund balances doesn’t raise RSD’s 20 latest budget, so taxpayers have a little less reason to bitch and whine and vote it down. Second, since the cash is coming out of existing funds, paying off the deficit won’t raise taxes. Is that a win or is that a win?

Sure it is. Except that the four fund balances—the towns’ general funds, contingency cash, emergency reserves, consider them what you will—will need to be replenished, if only to maintain bond ratings. And when largess stops flowing in from the fed and state, the taxpayers are called upon to make up the—wait for it—deficit. Surprised?

So disappearing the $2.7 million deficit from the RSD 20 budget may be the sugar to make the medicine go down, but ipecac has an awful aftertaste and makes you vomit. Of course, that’s no reason to vote down the budget.

Apropos nothing, then, the graphic presentation of the latest RSD 20 budget reminds us on page 26 that “Gov. Lamont says CT spends more on education than any state.” But, we’re warned, “The reality is more complicated.” Connecticut’s and RSD 20’s per-pupil cost is around $25,000 and, notwithstanding Ned’s hype, New York, Vermont, and New Jersey spend more per pupil. Good for them.

The point, though, is, why boast about spending the most? On the contrary, it’s nothing to be proud of, especially since the quality of education—or at least the outcome—isn’t a function of cost. Cost is determined by factors that have absolutely nothing to do with actual education, including but not limited to pay levels.

And among the factors contributing to excessive cost in Connecticut is the decidedly onerous and absolutely asinine MBR—the Minimum Budget Requirement—”that prohibits school districts from budgeting less for education than the previous year,” as the state website puts it. Sure, there are exceptions and workarounds. But the very idea of MBR is repulsive to anybody but teachers’ unions and their legislative flunkies . . .