Voters head to polls after approving $35M school budget (June 6, 2008)
By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
On June 10, registered voters across the state will fill out ballots for the Democratic and Republican primary elections.
The primary election comes nearly a week and a half after 580 voters approved nearly $35 million 2009 school budget, formally accepted by the town council on May 22 after councilors approved reducing the budget proposed by the school board by $900,000.
“The magnitude [of the reduction] was surprising,” School Board Chairman Chris Brownsey said. “It was more than I expected.”
Brownsey said the most difficult part of the adjustment was making the decision to increase the student activity fees from $12 to $50, which is projected to generate $50,000 revenue to help balance cuts in other areas.
“There are a lot of other little things that are going to be affected,” Brownsey said. “They’re all important.”
Despite the increase in activity fees and an estimated $78,000 reduction in the cost of school supplies, eliminating the purchase of a new $87,000 school bus and $30,000 in wages for its operator and eliminating the equivalent of nine other positions requested by the school board, the budget is an estimated $1 million, or 3.9 percent increase over last year’s budget. Scarborough residents can cast their vote from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Scarborough High School.
The first question on Tuesday’s ballot asks voters to authorize the State Treasurer to issue nearly $30 million in bonds to raise funds for various projects throughout the state. According to the office of the Secretary of State, almost $20 million of the raised funds would be used for rail, highway and bridge improvements, approximately $2 million for hazardous waste investigation or clean up and about $1 million for transit and bus improvements. Assuming the bonds have a 5.25 percent interest rate over 10 years, the total estimated life cost of the bonds would be more than $38 million.
Scarborough Democrats will choose between Tom Allen and Tom Ledue seeking the one open U.S. Senate seat, and from six different candidates in the congressional race: Michael Brennan, Adam Cote, Mark Lawrence, Stephen Meister, Chellie Pingree or Ethan Strimling.
Republicans will vote for either Peter Scontras or Charlie Summers to be their party’s candidate for Congress.
Staff Writer
On June 10, registered voters across the state will fill out ballots for the Democratic and Republican primary elections.
The primary election comes nearly a week and a half after 580 voters approved nearly $35 million 2009 school budget, formally accepted by the town council on May 22 after councilors approved reducing the budget proposed by the school board by $900,000.
“The magnitude [of the reduction] was surprising,” School Board Chairman Chris Brownsey said. “It was more than I expected.”
Brownsey said the most difficult part of the adjustment was making the decision to increase the student activity fees from $12 to $50, which is projected to generate $50,000 revenue to help balance cuts in other areas.
“There are a lot of other little things that are going to be affected,” Brownsey said. “They’re all important.”
Despite the increase in activity fees and an estimated $78,000 reduction in the cost of school supplies, eliminating the purchase of a new $87,000 school bus and $30,000 in wages for its operator and eliminating the equivalent of nine other positions requested by the school board, the budget is an estimated $1 million, or 3.9 percent increase over last year’s budget. Scarborough residents can cast their vote from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Scarborough High School.
The first question on Tuesday’s ballot asks voters to authorize the State Treasurer to issue nearly $30 million in bonds to raise funds for various projects throughout the state. According to the office of the Secretary of State, almost $20 million of the raised funds would be used for rail, highway and bridge improvements, approximately $2 million for hazardous waste investigation or clean up and about $1 million for transit and bus improvements. Assuming the bonds have a 5.25 percent interest rate over 10 years, the total estimated life cost of the bonds would be more than $38 million.
Scarborough Democrats will choose between Tom Allen and Tom Ledue seeking the one open U.S. Senate seat, and from six different candidates in the congressional race: Michael Brennan, Adam Cote, Mark Lawrence, Stephen Meister, Chellie Pingree or Ethan Strimling.
Republicans will vote for either Peter Scontras or Charlie Summers to be their party’s candidate for Congress.
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