Staff Writer

Local officials are working to revise the school budget and send it to the town council and a referendum after the proposed budget was narrowly defeated Tuesday.

By a margin of 493-483, voters rejected the proposed $34.9 million fiscal year 2011 school budget. A bigger majority, 490-387, said in an non-binging question that the budget was too low. The largest majority, 774-206, voted to continue the referendum process for the next three years.

Board members and Superintendent David Doyle now have 10 days by state law to revise the budget for council consideration and a new referendum. Doyle said a special budget meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m., Monday, May 17. Dates for council discussions and referendum had not been determined by the Leader deadline.

Robert Mitchell, the board’s finance committee chairman, said a new budget may contain an increase of $100,000 to $200,000. He said the board may increase spending by using town surplus funds to avoid a tax increase beyond the projected 48 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

Mitchell’s committee initially crafted a $34.4 million budget that was increased as aid from the Department of Education was restored.

The turnout of 987 for the referendum was about .6 percent of registered voters, and down from 1,073 last year, according to Town Clerk Yolande “Tody” Justice.

Justice said 337 of 483 voters favoring the budget called it too low and 46 called it too high. Of the 493 voters opposing the budget, 340 said it was too high and 153 said it was too low.

Voters came through Town Hall yesterday morning in a steady stream and some echoed arguments that have surrounded the budget since it was first introduced in February.

Mike Gilbert, who has four children in local schools, said his no vote on the budget was based on program and possible 31 positions cuts that would affect students. Armed with state and local budget documents, Gilbert said the state funding process is deeply flawed and administration remains top heavy.

Gilbert said he wondered why administrative jobs in education keep expanding while Maine has lost jobs for the past three years.

Kelley Pratt, a newcomer who said she and her family moved to town because of her worries about cuts to the Portland school budget, said she voted in favor of the budget but considered it too low.

Pratt, accompanied by her 2-year-old son Noah, said she wants to ensure his educational opportunities will be strong, but knows a school budget can be a contentious issue.

“There is a bit of emotion and passion with schools that does not exist in other part of the budget,” Pratt said.

Board of Education member Jackie Perry said the referendum results surprised her, and hoped council members would notice voters’ opinions that the budget was too low. Council members determine the budget amount voters will consider, but cannot direct where the money is spent.

Perry said the budget process was both difficult and cordial this year, even as she voted against the $34.9 million budget when the board sent it to Town Council for review.

“There was not enough money to move us forward,” Perry said.

Resident Floyd Hartford said he voted against the budget because it asked for an increase of $1.3 million in local taxes, from $26.7 million to $28 million, translating to about 31 cents of a possible 48-cent increase in property tax rates.

Hartford said he thinks taxes shouldn’t be increased in hard economic times and urged the board to be more creative about how it spends.

Doyle said the budget process drew more attention this year in terms of attendance at board and council hearings and meetings because of possible elimination of positions and program cuts. The budget introduced in February called for 43 positions to be eliminated. Revisions as state aid was restored allowed for restoration of 12 positions and prevented cuts to the middle school health education program.

In noting the disparity between “no” votes and the votes calling the budget too low, Perry said voters may be establishing what their priorities are.

“It was kind of enlightening to me,” she said.

Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219