SAD 1 to present $22.9 million budget Tuesday
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Despite facing a loss of $860,181 in state aid and a decrease of $130,039 in federal funds, SAD 1’s 2011-12 budget keeps programming intact for another year.
The proposed $22,960,050 budget represents an increase of 2.6 percent over 2010-11.
“If this proposal is approved, we will reduce the local K-12 education mill rate based on state property valuations and on our July 1-June 30 fiscal year from 10.42 to 9.87 mills for district municipalities,” said Superintendent Gehrig Johnson. “Because state valuations have risen year-over-year by an average of about 6.5 percent for our five municipal members, we will be asking for an increase in local property tax dollars of $64,747 or about 0.9 percent based on our fiscal year. The city of Presque Isle will see no increase in the bill from SAD 1 if the proposal passes.”
District budget approval requires a two-step process. In addition to a district-wide budget meeting, which will be held Tuesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. at the Presque Isle High School cafeteria, the district is required to hold a budget validation referendum in each of the district’s five municipalities. The validation referendum will be held May 17.
Under the proposal, Castle Hill residents would see a 2011-12 property tax levy of $229,091, an increase of $757 over last year; Chapman — $273,033 (up $25,411), Mapleton — $1,166,687 (an increase of $44,829) and Westfield would see a decrease of $6,250 down to $270,565.
“Those numbers are based on state valuations; we don’t have anything to do with it,” said Johnson. “The state is saying, for example, that the value of the town of Mapleton is growing faster than the rest of the communities. Homes are selling for more than they are in the other communities.”
Johnson explained that loss of state funding continues to present a “substantial challenge” for the district.
“Next year we will suffer a loss of $860,181 in state aid,” he said. “Since state aid to schools crested in 2008-09 at about $14.5 million, we have dealt with annual reductions to the point where next year’s subsidy is $1.8 million less than it was just three years ago. In addition, we will lose $130,039 in federal funds.”
Johnson said the budget includes position eliminations, salary freezes and delayed maintenance.
“We will be eliminating three teaching positions and three support positions through attrition to help reduce expenses,” said Johnson. “We will also be tapping some of the cash reserves we have set aside in recent years to help address the continuing budget hurdles we — and all school units in Maine — are facing.
“Administrators throughout the district have volunteered to freeze their salaries. We’re in a very tight financial situation and administrators realize that. A savings of $30,000 will be realized through the freeze,” he said. “Cost of living increases will be given to all other employees. The budget also reflects a projected 6 percent increase in medical insurance premiums.”
Eliminated positions include one fourth-grade teacher at Zippel Elementary School, two seventh-grade positions at Presque Isle Middle School, one in the English department at Presque Isle High School, two custodians and one bus driver.
During the Monday night City Council meeting, councilors approved the SAD 1 warrant and notice of election, and approved Megan Murchison (Democrat) and Shirley Belanger (Republican) as election workers for the May 17 referendum vote.
