Voters approve school budgets

Spending in Portland and SAD 6 passes handily, but South Portland's budget squeaks by with 51 percent.

By Kelley Bouchard, Staff Writer, with contribution by Elbert Aull, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald (published: May 14, 2008)

Voters in Portland, South Portland and the towns of SAD 6 approved 2008-09 school budgets on Tuesday in first-time referendums required under the state's new school consolidation law.

In Portland, 65 percent of voters approved $85.5 million in education spending for kindergarten through high school. The vote was 2,311-1,229, with 8.5 percent of the city's 42,000 voters going to the polls.

The tally was much closer in South Portland, where 51 percent of voters approved $39.9 million in K-12 spending. The vote was 753-717, with 9 percent of the city's 18,000 registered voters casting ballots.

SAD 6 residents of Buxton, Frye Island, Hollis, Limington, and Standish ratified a $40.3 million school budget by nearly a 2-1 margin. Each town approved the budget except Frye Island, where the vote was 6-3 against. The overall vote was 761-413, a 7 percent turnout.

In each community, voters were asked to approve or reject the portion of the school budget that is eligible for state aid. The ballot amounts reflected planned spending in 11 areas, including regular instruction, special education, administration and transportation.

The ballot amounts didn't include parts of the school budgets that are funded by grants and individual donations, or programs that are ineligible for state education aid, such as adult education.

Portland's successful referendum follows a difficult year for Maine's largest school district. Its finances have been under scrutiny since a $2 million deficit in the 2006-07 budget came to light and led to last summer's resignations of the superintendent and finance director.

The Portland City Council unanimously approved an overall $89.5 million school budget proposal last week, with several councilors endorsing it as thorough and responsible.

It reflects a 4.5 percent increase in spending over the current year. Still, it eliminates 48 positions -- 28 left vacant this year and 20 to be cut in the coming year.

John Coyne, School Committee chairman, credited a new school administration, a new finance subcommittee and assistance from city finance staff with turning things around.

"This vote means there's support in the community for the school budget and respect for the work that's been done," Coyne said. "The change in management is something that added to the outcome here."

With the school budget approved, the Portland City Council can move ahead Monday with plans to pass a $185 million municipal budget and set a tax rate for the coming fiscal year. The municipal budget eliminates 93 city jobs.

As proposed, the combined $274.5 million city and school budget would increase Portland's property tax rate by 64 cents (3.7 percent), from $17.10 to $17.74 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

At that rate, the tax bill on a $230,000 home would increase $147, from $3,933 to $4,080.

Steven Scharf, president of the Portland Taxpayers Association, said he voted against the school budget because the ballot amount didn't reflect total school spending. He also questions whether the results are meaningful with such a low turnout.

"The public doesn't really know there's a school budget vote," Scharf said.

Roy Germon, a parent of two students at Longfellow Elementary School, said he voted to approve the school budget because he wants to maintain quality schools. "I was afraid that even more cuts would be made," Germon said.

In South Portland, the City Council approved a total school budget last week of $42.7 million, which is 2.8 percent more than the current budget.

In SAD 6, the $40.3 million school budget for 2008-09 is nearly 3.6 percent more than this year's budget, Superintendent Suzanne Lukas said.

If the budget referendums had failed to win majority votes, the communities would have been required to hold referendums until they passed. In Portland, the City Council cannot set a tax rate and start collecting revenue until a new school budget is passed.