CUMBERLAND — School Administrative District 51 voters approved next year’s $32.6 million budget twice this past week.
The first vote came June 5 at a Town Meeting-style gathering at Greely High School, where more than 60 voters breezed through all warrant articles in 50 minutes. Then on Tuesday, the SAD 51 spending plan was approved in a state-required validation referendum, 1,003 to 623.
Cumberland voters approved the budget 757-455, while North Yarmouth OK’d it, 246-168.
About $20.1 million of the fiscal 2015 budget comes from taxes, with $14.3 million to be paid by Cumberland, and $5.9 million by North Yarmouth.
Cumberland’s property tax rate could rise about 2 percent, or 33 cents per $1,000 of valuation. North Yarmouth’s hike could be about 3.5 percent, or 59 cents per $1,000 of valuation.
While the budget as proposed in March called for a 4.22 percent increase, health insurance costs ended up being about $116,000 higher than expected, which raised that increase to 4.59 percent.
Subsequent budget changes included an additional $66,000 for a first-grade teacher, due to enrollment increases. But the district also found about $162,000 in reductions, including about $87,000 in salary adjustments from teacher resignations and retirements.
SAD 51 also received nearly $39,000 in additional state subsidy. The budget hike was ultimately shaved from 4.59 percent to 4.3 percent.
Included in the budget is $14.6 for regular instruction, $5.7 million for special education, $2.6 million for student and staff support, $1.2 million or school administration, $1.3 million for transportation and buses, $2.6 million for facilities maintenance and nearly $3 million for debt service and other commitments.
Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.
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