Voters in Dresden, Farmingdale, Hallowell, Monmouth and Richmond can vote June 13 on the upcoming school year’s $27 million budget in a budget validation referendum.
The proposed budget in Regional School Unit 2 — which includes those communities — is increasing 1.9 percent from the one approved last year, according to Superintendent Bill Zima.
During a public meeting last month, Zima outlined the $27,039,154 budget, which is $517,262.85 larger than the current one, saying the budget has increased just 8.23 percent since the RSU was formed in 2009.
In order to minimize the increase, Zima said, the district is saving more than $146,000 by not replacing some retiring teachers and is saving another $48,692 by reducing the school administrative staff. A saving of $124,000 comes from retiring debt.
The state has cut the district’s subsidy from 51.09 percent to 49.75 percent, so the state’s contribution is $591,622.52 less than last year.
“When you add in the reductions in the state subsidy, the amount of change in what towns will pay is 4.2 percent,” Zima said via email Wednesday.
The 17-article warrant includes a recommendation by the school board of about $10.9 million for regular instruction and almost $4.8 million for special education.
Article 12 lists the amount each municipality must raise to qualify for the state subsidy:
• Monmouth: $3.19 million
• Farmingdale: $1.64 million
• Hallowell: $1.96 million
• Richmond: $2.15 million
• Dresden: $1.13 million
“The good news is the board has already voted to use any additional state subsidy to reduce the bill we send to the towns to run their schools,” Zima said. “I have heard the Legislature is sending money back, and all will be returned.”
He said if the state increased the subsidy to 55 percent, the district would be able to reduce the bill for each town to below what was charged last year.
“If the state were to reinstate the district administration subsidy and funded us at the same level they did last year, we would see our increase to the towns reduced by half,” he said.
Jason Pafundi — 621-5663
Twitter: @jasonpafundiKJ
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