PARIS – The SAD 17 Board of Directors unanimously approved the proposed $38.2 million fiscal 2016 budget at its meeting Monday night.
The warrants for the June 4 budget meeting for voters in all eight district towns were expected to be delivered to each town office and posted Tuesday. The budget meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Forum.
SAD 17 Superintendent Rick Colpitts presented the budget to directors, saying it is a “balance of resources and needs.”
The proposed spending plan is $815,633 higher than this year’s budget, a 2.18 percent increase. It will mean an increase of $892,022 in the local share. The increases in local assessments will range from highs of 7.42 percent for Oxford and 7 percent for Otisfield, to lows of 2.94 percent for Waterford and negative 0.38 percent for Harrison.
Colpitts said the delay in the budget presentation has been caused by “inaction in Augusta and a desire for us to get it right.” At this time, the state General Purpose Aid to Education — the state’s contribution — and the local share-required mill rate have not been determined. The superintendent must, by law, have a budget in place by July 1.
Colpitts said Gov. Paul LePage’s proposed mill rate for the required local share is assumed at 8.48 mills, and that’s the number that he went with in developing the budget.
The budget does have some cuts, including about $100,000 in contingency funds, which were put in place to pay for charter school tuition. The state has now taken over that financial burden, Colpitts said.
The budget also reflects a cut of one bus purchase, the potential loss of two bus routes and the savings from a retired middle school teacher who will not be replaced, among other cuts.
Voters from all eight towns will gather on June 4 in the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Forum for the district budget meeting to act on a town meeting-style warrant, on which individual line items will be presented.
The budget validation referendum will be held on June 9 in all towns for a yes or no vote on the budget.
Oxford Selectman Peter Laverdiere appeared at the SAD 17 board meeting to express his support for the budget.
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