92 percent of the district’s budget is contracted, teacher salaries, fixed, fuel costs, or obligated, special education.
SUMNER – SAD 39 Superintendent William Shuttleworth spoke to selectmen concerned about the town’s increasing tax burden Tuesday night.
The school budget accounts for roughly half of Sumner’s tax levy.
Selectman Tom Standard said, “If you’re going to have a significant tax cut, then a significant part has to come from the school budget.”
Selectman and former school board member Marc Silber agreed that “the rise in budget is really onerous,” and said that “there has to be some sort of a limit.”
Shuttleworth assured selectmen that tax dollars are being put to good use by the schools.
“Our elementary school is considered the jewel of western Maine for good reason,” he said. “Children perform very, very well above average.”
Last year, he added, “Our reading scores in fourth grade were the highest in Oxford County” and “over 65 percent of our graduates went on to college or secondary school of some sort.”
The spent per pupil in Maine in 2001-2002 was $6640.44. In SAD 39, the amount was $5992.55. Shuttleworth said 75 percent of school districts in Maine spend more per pupil than SAD 39.
He also said that 92 percent of SAD 39’s budget is contracted, as in the case of teacher salaries, fixed, such as fuel costs, or obligated, like special education. Shuttleworth said there is little he can do about those costs, but does try to keep them as low as possible.
Last year the district eliminated three positions, an elementary school teacher, a bus driver, and a study hall monitor. In addition, the district puts expenses such as electricity and fuel oil out to bid, in order to get the best prices.
Shuttleworth suggested a number of ways that people can affect the school budget. He asked that Sumner residents volunteer to work with the school budget committee. He also asked that taxpayers educate themselves about state funding and the federal “No Child Left Behind” Act, then contact state legislators with their concerns.
“We don’t want to increase the tax burden,” Shuttleworth said. “I know how hard it is to make a buck these days… The cost of ignorance is even greater.”
In other business, selectmen addressed concerns aired at their last meeting by Rev. Lawrence Thurlow, of the West Sumner Bible Church. Rev. Thurlow believes that the garage on his church’s property should not be taxed. According to Maine law, parsonages, even on church property, are taxable, although churches are not. The law is not clear about the tax status of outbuildings on church property.
Selectmen debated whether the garage, which is used to store items used by the church, should be considered an accessory of the church or an accessory of the parsonage. Selectman Clifford McNeil claimed that “we are unfairly taxing the West Sumner Bible Church” and called for a vote on the matter.
With Standard and McNeil voting for a tax abatement, and Silber voting against, the motion passed. The garage had been valued at about $2,900, so the church will save about $40 in taxes.
As the meeting ended, Standard invited the public to cut Christmas trees from his tree farm on 127 Fields Hill Road, in exchange for a $20 donation to the school library. Standard has thousands of cultivated balsam fir trees, and has been giving the proceeds of their sale to the school for five years. He can be contacted at 338-3041.
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