Now that the Westbrook City Council has given final approval to the city’s $55.8 million budget, it will be up to the citizens to pass the school budget in a referendum Tuesday.
The council voted Monday, 6-0, with Councilor Drew Gattine absent, to pass the budget, which represents a 3.1 percent increase over the current budget.
The school department accounts for $33 million of the budget, and $20.4 million comes from the city. County taxes and payments made for tax increment finance agreements make up the rest of the expenditures. Residents will vote whether to approve the school budget in a referendum June 9.
If the school budget is approved by voters, the total budget would raise the tax rate by 47 cents, to $15.90 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The average Westbrook home, worth $199,400, would have a tax bill of $3,170, which is $93 more than last year.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday. Residents of Ward 1 vote at Wescott Junior High School, 426 Bridge St. Residents of Wards 2, 3 and 4 vote at the Westbrook Armory, 120 Stroudwater St., and residents of Ward 5 vote at the former Four Seasons Bingo Hall, 33 Elmwood Ave. Residents can vote absentee at Westbrook City Hall through Monday.
City Clerk Lynda Adams and Superintendent Stan Sawyer will be guests on Mayor Bruce Chuluda’s call-in show Thursday to discuss the school budget. The show will air on Channel 3 at 6:30 p.m.
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