Staff Writer

Voters in Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach will weigh in on the proposed Regional School Unit 23 budget Monday night.

The proposed budget is nearly $42.5 million, an increase of “one-fifth of 1 percent” over last year’s budget, said Board of Education member Gary Curtis of Old Orchard Beach. The board approved the total last week in a 6-1 vote. Board member Skip Cushman of Dayton opposed the budget.

On Monday, voters will be asked to approve or change various cost centers of the budget. The total approved at the meeting will be forwarded to referendum June 8, when voters also must decide if they want to continue referendum approval of the annual budget.

Curtis said the tax consequences for each community have not been “settled” because of a last minute question of interpretation of the cost sharing provision of the RSU 23 plan of operation. District attorney and accountants are working to settle the issue and will have answers for voters at the regional budget meeting, he said.

Under one interpretation of the formula, the budget would decrease mil rates in Dayton by 19 cents and Old Orchard Beach by 25 cents. Saco’s mil rate would increase about a dime, Curtis said. Saco has a reserve fund of $1.2 million that must be used by the end of next year. That fund could be used to reduce the impact on city taxpayers, he said.

The other interpretation of the formula would lead to a decrease of about $200,000 in tax contributions from last year by Old Orchard Beach, Saco’s contribution would be flat funded from last year and Dayton’s would see an increase of $100,000 in tax contributions, Curtis said.

Regardless of the outcome of the interpretation of the formula, the proposed budget total will remain the same, Curtis said.

“I think we have been fiscally responsible. Sometimes that means spending more money,” he said.

Superintendent Michael Lafortune said school officials started the budget process assuming they would lose $1 million or more in state education funding. The district cut back on supplies, field trips and professional development before learning state aid was increasing.

“It was a complete shock for us,” he said.

“The stars aligned in our favor,” agreed Curtis. “We made out better than 90 percent of districts in the state.”

Curtis said the board and school officials are aware federal stimulus money that offset shortfalls in state education aid will be gone next year.

With that in mind, the board wanted to present voters a “fiscally responsible” budget that continues to bring parity to the district, Lafortune and Curtis said.

Lafortune said the proposed budget includes addition of a literacy specialist for Old Orchard Beach and Dayton, a guidance counselor at Saco Middle School, a second-grade teacher at Young School in Saco and an Advanced Placement science class at Old Orchard Beach High School.

No positions will be eliminated and no programs are cut in the proposed budget. Lafortune said the district’s “great” parent teacher organizations are picking up tabs for field trips.

Lafortune said the district tries to add programming each year. Last year, gifted and talented and all-day kindergarten were added in Dayton and Old Orchard Beach. Saco schools already had those programs.

“We’re trying to get some parity in our programming throughout the district,” he said. “That parity is not going to happen overnight. It’s going to be a slow process.”

Curtis said budget summaries will be available at the regional budget meeting, 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Old Orchard Beach High School gym. Budget information also is available on the district’s website.