WALES – Sixty-two voters from Sabattus, Litchfield and Wales approved the $18.9 million budget for Regional School Unit 4 on Wednesday night.
The 2016-17 spending plan is $341,058 more than this fiscal year, which ends June 30. The budget faces a validation referendum in each town June 14.
The mill rate increase is estimated at 1.07 mills for Litchfield, which is about $107 more on a $100,000 home, 1.02 for Sabattus, which is $102 more on a $100,000 home, and 1.01 in Wales, which is about $101 more on a $100,000 home.”
Those increases only reflect the impact from the school budget and not any increases or decreases that may result from each town’s municipal budget.
The state is giving the district $422,000 less this year, Superintendent Jim Hodgkin said. In 2010, state aid for RSU 4 was $10.8 million; for the coming year it is $9.9 million, he said.
The budget includes $3.52 million for special education, a $74,000 increase. Mark Russell of Litchfield made a motion to approve $3.47 million but voters rejected it.
The budget includes an increase of $30,000 for a bus lease/purchase. Voters asked the board to consider more efficient routes to prevent wear and tear on buses.
The budget also includes $2.7 million in additional local funds, which exceeds the state’s funding model of $2.38 million. David Blocher of the Litchfield Budget Committee made a motion to raise $2.48 million, which failed 26-33.
A public hearing was held on installing four lights at the Oak Hill High School football field for up to $200,000. Hodgkin gave an estimate of about $155,000. The money would come from bonds.
The majority of taxpayers were against the spending now.
The issue will be decided at the June 14 referendums.
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