Brunswick resident Forrest Lowe casting his school budget referendum ballot on Tuesday at the Coffin School. C. Thacher Carter / The Times Record
Brunswick voters approved a roughly $43.6 million school budget on Tuesday by a wide margin, with 730 in favor and 270 opposed.
According to Superintendent Phil Potenziano, the major drivers for this years budget include special education, mental health and wellness, technology and infrastructure capital projects, as well as covering a $870,000 reduction in General Purpose Aid from the state.
Special education is one of the most significant costs, representing a $927,015 increase over last years budget.
The school budget is estimated to add $0.61 increase to the property tax rate. When combined with the impacts of the municipal and county budget, the estimated property tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year will likely sit around $21.13 per $1,000 of property value.
That is an estimated $0.76, or 3.73% increase, over last years rate of $20.37 per $1,000 of property value.
For a home valued $200,000, this translates to a property tax bill of $4,226 — a $152 increase from the current year.
Overall, the $43.6 million school budget represents a roughly $900,000 – or 2.11% – increase over last year’s budget. Taxpayers will be responsible for $29.9 million, which is an additional $1.75 million compared to last year.
In total, 1002 votes were recorded, with two ballots leaving the question blank.
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