By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

Regional School Unit 23 voters gave initial support Monday to the proposed $42.4 million education budget.

Voters from Dayton, Saco and Old Orchard Beach gathered at Old Orchard Beach High School for the regional budget meeting to approve the total that will go to referendum June 8. Despite a handful of proposed changes to various cost centers, voters approved the budget as recommended by the school board.

The meeting drew 190 voters, including 71 Dayton residents, 64 Saco residents and 55 Old Orchard Beach residents. The meeting was moderated by Amos Gay of Dayton.

Superintendent Michael Lafortune said the proposed fiscal year 2010-2011 budget is a $78,694, or a .19 percent, increase over the current budget. The budget preserves all current programming and adds limited new programs to build toward more parity in the district, he said.

“This is a reasonable and responsible budget to support the wonderful students of Dayton, Saco and Old Orchard Beach,” Lafortune said.

The budget includes the addition of a literacy specialist for Dayton and Old Orchard Beach, a second grade teacher at Young School in Saco, and Advanced Placement biology and additional English teacher hours at Old Orchard Beach High School.

If approved, the proposed budget would increase Dayton taxes by about 53 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. If the town chooses to use $112,958 from a reserve account, the mil rate increase would be 20 cents.

The impact on Saco taxpayers is an increase of less than half a cent per $1,000 of assessed value. The city used $400,000 of reserve funds to reduce the mil rate. Old Orchard Beach taxpayers will see a decrease of 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

Lafortune said some people may say there is too much disparity in local contributions, but “making the case this is way out of line somewhere is a difficult case to make.” The foundation allocation must be raised by local governments to receive state subsidies. The additional local allocation is determined based on a cost-sharing formula outlined in the reorganization plan. The cost sharing formula will be reviewed in fiscal year 2011-2012, the third operational year of the district, he said.

Dayton’s total local contribution of $2.3 million is 8.29 percent of the district’s total $27.57 allocation. Old Orchard Beach contributes $9.3 million or 33.11 percent, and Saco contributes $16.5 million, or 58.59 percent.

Lafortune said Dayton’s local allocations increased by 2.7 percent in fiscal year 2009-2010. Before creation of  the district, Dayton saw an increase of 24.5 percent in required local costs in fiscal year 2006-2007.

In an open letter to Dayton residents, school board member Skip Cushman said it is “extremely frustrating” to see a large disparity in how each community supports education. He was not at the meeting.

“There is no savings for Dayton residents in RSU 23; Dayton’s taxes continue to increase while Old Orchard Beach taxes continue to go down. Old Orchard Beach has the smallest class size and the most administration in the whole RSU 23. Equality has gone out the window; Dayton and Saco are picking up the tab for the Old Orchard Beach schools,” he wrote.

Saco Mayor Ron Michaud said he believes in the RSU concept, but thinks master planning is needed for the future. He also said “greater efficiencies can be realized by setting aside territorial concerns” and banding together as a district.

Michaud said the district currently is over the state recommendation for student-teacher ratios. He proposed reducing the $23.3 million regular instruction budget by $167,703, which he said is roughly equivalent to three teaching positions.

Michaud said there are seven more positions than recommended at Loranger Middle School in Old Orchard Beach and three more teaching positions than recommended at Old Orchard Beach High School.

“For not dividing along town lines, it seems like you are,” said Old Orchard Beach resident and teacher Dean Plante to applause from the audience.

Michaud’s amendment failed. Other amendments proposed throughout the meeting – including reducing the budget total by $250,000 – failed and all articles were passed as recommended by the school board.