AUBURN — Given last year’s low voter turnout on the school budget and this year’s proposed hefty increase, taxpayer advocate Ron Potvin wants to be sure voters are aware of the school budget referendum June 11.
He and others don’t want a repeat of last year, when early returns showed only 693 people voted and the budget passed by five votes, 349-344.
Auburn has 15,970 registered voters, which makes last year’s voter turnout less than 5 percent, according to City Clerk Susan Clements-Dallaire.
This year, the proposed school budget is $38.37 million, up $2.4 million, or 6.9 percent. Meanwhile, the proposed city budget is $36.9 million, up $600,000.
When including the city hall budget and possible loss of state funding from no homestead exemption, as proposed by Gov. Paul LePage, property taxes on that $150,000 home could go up by as much as $486, according to City Manager Clinton Deschene. That estimate does not includes a loss of general revenue sharing, also proposed by LePage, Deschene said.
A property tax increase of $128 from the school budget alone is absurd, said former City Councilor Potvin. “An increase like this would be a disaster,” he said. He’s focused on telling people the time and place of the school budget referendum: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, at Auburn Hall.
Last year, those opposed to the 4 percent school budget increase “took things for granted,” that voters would reject it, Potvin said. “But a lot of people went on vacation, were working, or didn’t have a baby sitter and didn’t end up voting. They’re still sore. The biggest complaints I heard were ‘I didn’t know what day the referendum was,’ and ‘I didn’t know I had to go to City Hall.’ Some went to their regular polling places.’”
He’s predicting a better turnout this year.
“The School Department doesn’t realize how over-the-top their budget is,” Potvin said. “This year, they’ll hear from voters.”
Several city councilors agreed the school budget is too high and has little chance of passing. Yet the council accepted the budget and sent it to voters, reasoning that School Committee members need to hear from voters.
To boost voter turnout, Mayor Jonathan LaBonte has directed the city “to look at what channels we have to raise awareness, variable message signs at construction sites, printed signs engaging business partners.”
Meanwhile, Superintendent Katy Grondin has spoken at a number of budget information sessions around the city. The next one is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 4 at Edward Little High School.
School Committee Chairman Tom Kendall said residents should vote for the budget, that the City Council is planning to take action to reduce impact on taxes on the city side. School spending should be supported because Auburn “needs to recognize that schools represent an economic cornerstone. Without a quality education, you will not attact businesses, you will not attract residents.”
In the past 10 years, Auburn has underfunded education compared to the rest of Maine, Kendall said. According to the Maine Department of Education, in 2011-12 Auburn’s per-pupil cost was $7,908; Lewiston, $8,761; and the state average, $9,726. “That needs to be addressed,” Kendall said.
What’s in the budget
Reasons for this year’s higher budget, Grondin has said, include $1 million to cover shifts in state policies that mean higher local costs for special education and teacher retirement. In addition, $412,000 has been added for staff raises and benefits; $188,404 to cover loan payments for school building maintenance; $400,000 for technology, including updating student computers for grades seven through 12 and buying another round of iPads, expanding the program from kindergarten and first grade to second grade.
Initially, Grondin proposed a 4.8 percent increase, which meant cutting $551,000, including eliminating seven positions, most notably Auburn Land Lab teacher Jim Chandler. The cuts replaced several teachers with ed techs, did not replace an aging school bus and reduced reimbursing teachers for courses.
School Committee members weren’t comfortable with that, and directed Grondin to put back the $551,000 and give them a bigger budget, which now goes to voters.
In addition to restoring the $551,000, the proposed budget includes five new positions (annual cost $236,826): two learning coaches to help teachers provide customized learning, an elementary school nurse, a cultural broker for English Language Learner families and a sixth maintenance worker to provide better care of nine buildings.
An additional $244,918 also has been allocated for facilities and maintenance to better care for schools, an area that officials acknowledge has been neglected.
Committee members said they’re concerned that Auburn spends $2 million a year less than what the state Essential Programs and Services formula recommends. The proposed budget means that Auburn would be $751,000 closer to the Essential Programs and Services recommendation.
Auburn school budget referendum
Voting will take place 7 a.m.-8 p.m. June 11 at Auburn Hall. The $38.37 million school budget, up 6.9 percent, would mean a $128 annual increase in property taxes for a home valued at $150,000; that is not considering city hall or county expenses.
What: Auburn school budget voting
When: Tuesday, June 11, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Auburn Hall
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- Auburn school budget referendum Voting will take place 7 a.m.-8 p.m. June 11 at Auburn Hall. The $38.37 million school budget, up 6.9 percent, would mean a $128 annual increase in property taxes for a home valued at $150,000; that is not considering city hall or county expenses.
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- Auburn School Committee member Tom Kendall said the proposed $38.37 million school budget, a 6.9 percent increase, deserves to be supported. In the past 10 years Auburn has underfunded education compared to the rest of Maine, he said, adding that quality schools are the “economic cornerstone” of the city.
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- Former Auburn City Councilor Ron Potvin wants to see more residents vote on the Auburn school budget referendum June 11. Voters should reject the school budget because it’s “over the top,” Potvin said.
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