By MATT KIERNAN
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Published:
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 12:06 PM EDT
KENNEBUNK — Community members from Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport approved all 18 articles of the Regional School Unit 21’s proposed budget Tuesday night.
The articles will be listed on the ballot of the June 14 budget referendum at designated polling stations in the three towns.
“We need as many people as possible to come out for the referendum June 14,” said school board member Maureen King after the meeting in the Kennebunk High School gymnasium.
On the proposed budget will be whether the district should expend $35.6 million for the 2012 fiscal year to fund public education; if the school board should be authorized to spend federal or state grants; appropriate funding for adult education; and authorize the school board’s ability to transfer 25 percent of undesignated funds to the School Capital Reserve Fund.
The budget to be listed on the referendum was voted in favor, 206-12.
From the budget, Arundel property owners are estimated to see an increase in taxes of $59.87 per $100,000 in property value, Kennebunk $16.45 and Kennebunkport $8.41.
“It sort of pained me to vote ‘no’ through this entire process,” said Bob Stewart of Arundel, addressing the 218 people who attended the meeting.
Stewart said the proposed budget doesn’t reflect the choice voters made during the May 24 referendum, when the last proposed budget was rejected. He asked the voters at the meeting to vote against the budget to make the school board re-evaluate the articles in order to lower taxes.
He also commented that voters need to be more knowledgeable of the issues before they cast their ballots.
An article allowing the school board to appropriate $3.74 million in additional local funds for school programs not included in the state’s funding model was also passed to be listed on the referendum. The vote in favor was by written ballot, 201-30.
The proposed appropriation of funding for adult education will come from the designation of $100,000 by the RSU and the raising of $54,000 as the local share.
The newly proposed budget is $100,000 less than the budget proposed last month, and allocates $668,000 in undesignated funds toward the budget to lower the residents’ taxes, according to Andrew Dolloff, superintendent of schools.
Compared to the May 10 budget meeting, there was little participation in the way of comments given for each article.
“I have to express slight disappointment with the voter turnout,” said Brad Huot, Kennebunk physician and candidate for the school board, pointing out the significant difference in attendance from the last meeting, which saw a turnout of more than 700 people.
Although he would have liked to see more people, he said, Huot thanked those who participated in the meeting.
— Staff Writer Matt Kiernan can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 326, or at mkiernan@journaltribune.com.
The articles will be listed on the ballot of the June 14 budget referendum at designated polling stations in the three towns.
“We need as many people as possible to come out for the referendum June 14,” said school board member Maureen King after the meeting in the Kennebunk High School gymnasium.
On the proposed budget will be whether the district should expend $35.6 million for the 2012 fiscal year to fund public education; if the school board should be authorized to spend federal or state grants; appropriate funding for adult education; and authorize the school board’s ability to transfer 25 percent of undesignated funds to the School Capital Reserve Fund.
The budget to be listed on the referendum was voted in favor, 206-12.
From the budget, Arundel property owners are estimated to see an increase in taxes of $59.87 per $100,000 in property value, Kennebunk $16.45 and Kennebunkport $8.41.
“It sort of pained me to vote ‘no’ through this entire process,” said Bob Stewart of Arundel, addressing the 218 people who attended the meeting.
Stewart said the proposed budget doesn’t reflect the choice voters made during the May 24 referendum, when the last proposed budget was rejected. He asked the voters at the meeting to vote against the budget to make the school board re-evaluate the articles in order to lower taxes.
He also commented that voters need to be more knowledgeable of the issues before they cast their ballots.
An article allowing the school board to appropriate $3.74 million in additional local funds for school programs not included in the state’s funding model was also passed to be listed on the referendum. The vote in favor was by written ballot, 201-30.
The proposed appropriation of funding for adult education will come from the designation of $100,000 by the RSU and the raising of $54,000 as the local share.
The newly proposed budget is $100,000 less than the budget proposed last month, and allocates $668,000 in undesignated funds toward the budget to lower the residents’ taxes, according to Andrew Dolloff, superintendent of schools.
Compared to the May 10 budget meeting, there was little participation in the way of comments given for each article.
“I have to express slight disappointment with the voter turnout,” said Brad Huot, Kennebunk physician and candidate for the school board, pointing out the significant difference in attendance from the last meeting, which saw a turnout of more than 700 people.
Although he would have liked to see more people, he said, Huot thanked those who participated in the meeting.
— Staff Writer Matt Kiernan can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 326, or at mkiernan@journaltribune.com.
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