SAD 6 voters accept $40M school budget (May 16, 2008)
Posted by Gazette Editor at 5/16/2008 11:00 AM and is filed under Hollis,SAD 6,Nate Jones,Bonney Eagle,Standish,Limington,Buxton,Budget 
By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
Nearly 1,200 residents in Buxton, Hollis, Limington, Standish and Frye Island traveled to their respective polling places Tuesday to vote on a proposed school budget totaling more than $40 million. Voters gave their final approval of the school budget that was discussed by more than 300 residents in a district-wide voter participation meeting just last week.
“I’d like to say it was a positive experience,” MSAD 6 Board of Directors Chairman Cindy Hazelton said. “Bringing five towns together is challenging. I am concerned that on the way to saving money, we’re spending more.”
The accepted school budget proposal includes a $1.4 million, or 3.58 percent increase in spending from last year. The increase is the second lowest in 10 years, with 2003-2004 at zero percent. Combined with close to a $400,000 decrease in state aid, the increase means taxpayers will shoulder close to $1.7 million in additional local contributions.
The school budget will provide nearly $24.5 million for instruction – 60 percent of the total funds – for an anticipated total enrollment of roughly 4,000 students, which is par with state averages. About $2.5 million for instructional support, roughly $3 million for administration costs, almost $5.5 million for facility maintenance and repairs and a little more than $3 million for transportation are also included.
Frye Island taxpayers will see the largest increase in their contributions to the district, as the budget requires an additional $200,000 from the town, which is almost 22 percent more than what they paid last year. Standish will pay about $684,000 more than last year, a 9 percent increase, Limington will pay $148,000, an 8 percent increase, Buxton will pay approximately $288,000, a 5 percent increase and Hollis will pay $76,000, a 2 percent increase from last year.
Had the budget been voted down in the public referendum, school and city officials would have gone “back to square one” to create a newly revised school budget to the public, per the new state imposed school consolidation law, Hazelton said.
“We’re very pleased with the result,” MSAD 6 Superintendent Suzanne Lukas said.
Lukas said she had hoped more residents would have participated in the referendum, but was hopeful more people would be involved in the future as the new school budget process gains public awareness.
“It worked out very well,” she said.
Staff Writer
Nearly 1,200 residents in Buxton, Hollis, Limington, Standish and Frye Island traveled to their respective polling places Tuesday to vote on a proposed school budget totaling more than $40 million. Voters gave their final approval of the school budget that was discussed by more than 300 residents in a district-wide voter participation meeting just last week.
“I’d like to say it was a positive experience,” MSAD 6 Board of Directors Chairman Cindy Hazelton said. “Bringing five towns together is challenging. I am concerned that on the way to saving money, we’re spending more.”
The accepted school budget proposal includes a $1.4 million, or 3.58 percent increase in spending from last year. The increase is the second lowest in 10 years, with 2003-2004 at zero percent. Combined with close to a $400,000 decrease in state aid, the increase means taxpayers will shoulder close to $1.7 million in additional local contributions.
The school budget will provide nearly $24.5 million for instruction – 60 percent of the total funds – for an anticipated total enrollment of roughly 4,000 students, which is par with state averages. About $2.5 million for instructional support, roughly $3 million for administration costs, almost $5.5 million for facility maintenance and repairs and a little more than $3 million for transportation are also included.
Frye Island taxpayers will see the largest increase in their contributions to the district, as the budget requires an additional $200,000 from the town, which is almost 22 percent more than what they paid last year. Standish will pay about $684,000 more than last year, a 9 percent increase, Limington will pay $148,000, an 8 percent increase, Buxton will pay approximately $288,000, a 5 percent increase and Hollis will pay $76,000, a 2 percent increase from last year.
Had the budget been voted down in the public referendum, school and city officials would have gone “back to square one” to create a newly revised school budget to the public, per the new state imposed school consolidation law, Hazelton said.
“We’re very pleased with the result,” MSAD 6 Superintendent Suzanne Lukas said.
Lukas said she had hoped more residents would have participated in the referendum, but was hopeful more people would be involved in the future as the new school budget process gains public awareness.
“It worked out very well,” she said.
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