AUBURN – Matthew Kovacevich, the parent of two Park Avenue Elementary School students, urged the School Committee on Wednesday to “please support the budget.”

He was one of six taxpayers who spoke in favor of the $35.9 million proposal.

The budget has $109,000 more for iPad tablet computers for kindergarten students next fall. That means they and first-graders would have iPads.

Kovacevich said one of his students is in kindergarten and uses an iPad.

“I’m blown away at how well my kindergartner has accelerated from being an OK student to being an excited learner,” he said. “He wants to read. He wants to write. He wants to do math.”

If Auburn continues to support programs such as the iPad, “we’re going to see kids who want to learn,” Kovacevich said.

Superintendent Katy Grondin’s $35.9 million budget proposal is 3.45 percent higher than the current fiscal year. The local share is 5.8 percent more. For a home valued at $150,000, the budget would mean about $79 more in property taxes.

She has said Auburn spends less than what the state recommends for basic programs. In 2011, Auburn spent $8,050 per pupil, compared to the state average of $9,623.

Parent Sarah Duchette said she supports the school budget.

“Looking at the increase I’d be willing to write a check right now to pay for my difference as a taxpayer,” she said. She would also be willing to give up her once-a-week coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts, she said.

“Children are the greatest investment, whether you have children in the school system or not,” Duchette said. She and her husband moved from Turner to Auburn with their two children a year and a half ago. Their children attend the East Auburn Community School.

“I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful that school is,” Duchette said.

Other parents, including Tom Dean and Cara Welker, also spoke in favor of the budget and iPads.

In an age where more jobs require computer skills, “it’s important our children not only have a strong foundation in literacy and math, but are also comfortable in technology,” Welker said. Investing in iPads is “investing in the future of Maine,” she said.

Parent David Sawicki spoke in favor of the budget, but questioned whether test results showed clearly enough that iPads are improving learning.

Last year taxpayers were told the iPads would not be rolled out a second year unless tests demonstrated a marked difference in student performance.

“I don’t see that evidence,” he said. Recent test scores showed a significant difference in only one of five areas, Sawicki said.

Former city councilor and property taxpayer advocate Ron Potvin wasn’t happy about the higher budget.

“I can’t support this budget,” Potvin said. He said he’ll work with taxpayers to defeat any increase of local property taxes over 3 percent. The 5 percent increase asked of local taxpayers is too much, he said.

Potvin took issue with points made by Grondin that Auburn spends less than what the state recommends for Essential Programs and Services.

Because the state hasn’t been able to provide for 55 percent of K-12 education as promised years ago, the state expects many communities will spend less than what’s called for in the education funding formula, Potvin said.

Potvin said he was told by the Maine Department of Education “that 40 percent of school departments are underspending.” Auburn, he said, “is not some sort of enigma.”

As to the iPads, “Taxpayers are still sore about what happened last year,” Potvin said. “We were told we wouldn’t be hit with the bill, but we were. Now you’re coming back for more.”

After meeting with School Committee members in a workshop, Grondin said the committee stands behind the budget and is ready to support it when the committee meets at 6 p.m. April 11.

After that, the budget will go the City Council for approval and to voters in May.

bwashuk@sunjournal.com

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