FORT KENT, Maine — Officials from both Fort Kent and Wallagrass on May 30 passed resolutions opposing the MSAD 27 school budget, which this year represents a total 6.4 percent increase over the previous year’s budget.
The budget includes a total $429,404 increase in local taxes, which are spread across the district’s towns of Fort Kent, New Canada, St. Francis, St. John and Wallagrass. Fort Kent’s portion will increase from $3.8 million to $4.1 million, or by 8.2 percent. The town of Wallagrass will see an increase from $648,247 to $709,235, which is up 9.4 percent from the previous year.
The resolutions are symbolic, as the towns do not have statutory authority over the school budget process.
Fort Kent Town Council Chair Corey Pelletier said that while he and town officials are strong supporters of public education, they felt it was their responsibility to speak openly about growing concerns heard from residents about the rising costs, particularly those on fixed incomes.
“Be it further resolved, that the Town Council encourages residents to participate in the referendum vote and to make an informed decision that balances the needs of the educational system with the fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers of Fort Kent,” the resolution concludes.
Fort Kent officials last year cited its portion of the school and county budget as a primary factor in its 1.95 mill rate increase. When the town set its mill rate last July, Town Manager Suzie Paradis distributed a pie chart at the meeting showing that the school budget took up 60 percent of the town’s expenses, and that it had increased by $322,651 over the past year.
Wallagrass Town Manager Lana Voisine said the town, while supportive of quality education, has a responsibility to keep its budget sustainable.
“Wallagrass has a largely elderly population on fixed incomes who simply cannot afford the continued increases being passed down through the school budget,” Voisine said. “These rising costs place an unfair and unsustainable burden on our taxpayers. Wallagrass has had the highest percentages of increases across the board for the past three years without any intentions of it stabilizing.”
Voisine concluded that she and Wallagrass officials are urging MSAD 27 to consider a more balanced approach to the budget.
MSAD 27 Superintendent Benjamin Sirois posted a public response to Fort Kent’s resolution, addressing the school’s budget process. He said on June 6 that he had not yet seen the Wallagrass resolution.
“The development of this budget was guided by a transparent, thoughtful process that began in January,” Sirois wrote. “It included multiple public budget workshops and culminated in a public hearing on May 19.”
Sirois said the overall 6.4 percent increase was modest, adding that it was driven by rising costs that are affecting homes, businesses and schools.
Residents attending the May 19 hearing passed all budget items, with only a few public questions and comments being offered during the meeting.
Between January and the May 19 meeting, Sirois said no councilors in Fort Kent attended any of the school budget workshops. During this time, he said no one asked questions, sought clarification or expressed concern about the budget.
“The Town Council had ample opportunity to become informed about the budget but chose not to participate in any of the workshops or hearings,” Sirois said. “Criticizing a process they ignored is neither fair nor responsible.”
He said the council has issued this resolution despite not making an effort to understand the budget, and that this will only confuse and divide the community because the council has no authority over the school budget process.
“Our students, educators, and families deserve better than uninformed resolutions,” he said. “They deserve support, collaboration, and honest participation from all elected officials.”
Though residents approved the budget on May 19, it still needs final approval during the upcoming June 10 election. The ballot includes an item asking if voters would eliminate this two-step process with the final stage of the budget being the May meeting.
Sirois has expressed support for this item, and said that it would encourage more to attend the annual budget meeting, ask questions and make a more informed decision about the school budget. Pelletier, however, said the town council is deeply concerned by this item and urges voters to reject the item. He said that taking away the June referendum vote would silence the majority of voters in the district.
The election will be held at Fort Kent’s Town Office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 10. It will be held at the New Canada, St. Francis and St. John Plantation Community Centers from 2 to 6 p.m., and at the Wallagrass Community Center from noon to 6 p.m.
