Staff Writer

 Educators on Monday told city councilors further cuts to the education budget will negatively affect Biddeford students.

Teachers, students, an administrator and residents spoke out during a public hearing on the proposed $23.8 million city budget and $31 million education budget. They decried cuts that would require the elimination of 23 staff members in the school district, including 13 coach and adviser positions.

The school committee, under the direction of the city council, cut $1.4 million from the budget in an attempt to reduce a city tax rate increase, which is expected from debt service on the $32 million high school renovation bond.

The council removed $80,000 from the education budget, which Superintendent Sarah-Jane Poli said could lead to more job cuts. Poli said the money, earmarked for bus transportation of St. James School students, would come from the school department’s bottom line. A number of councilors said they support reinstating the money.

Mayor Joanne Twomey said she will veto the budget if the $80,000 if not restored to the school budget.

The council last week asked City Manager John Bubier to cut $100,000 from the city budget and maintain a 5 percent tax increase. Bubier’s original budget proposal called for an 8.8 percent tax increase. The budget as proposed would eliminate five and one-half positions, including two at the police department through retirement. The other three and one-half positions are clerical, said Finance Director Curt Koehler.

Koehler said a 5 percent tax increase would add 73.5 cents to the mil rate. The owner of a $200,000 home would see an additional $147 on an annual tax bill, he said.

Biddeford Middle School Principal Charles Lomonte, speaking on behalf of his staff, said he has “great concern” about the impact of budget cuts on schools. He said budget cuts impede the school’s ability to maintain a positive momentum as it tries to improve test scores.

 “This year for the first time our scores have declined,” he said.

Lomonte said cuts affect a wide range of programs from special education to a developmental reading program for struggling students. The elimination of a sixth-grade and seventh-grade teacher would increase class sizes and force others to teach outside their areas of expertise, he said.

Lomonte said there will be cuts in areas that keep students in school. Also set to be cut are a library clerk, substance abuse counselor and cheering coach.

“Without them our students will be negatively impacted,” he said. “The inability to meet students’ needs over time puts them at an academic disadvantage.”

Lomonte said the cuts demonstrate “a lack of vision.”

 “Further devastation to our school rips the infrastructure from beneath this fragile economy,” he said. “I ask you: What legacy will you leave in this city?”

Teacher Diana Mullins said some students only come to school because of certain teachers or programs that are slated to be cut. She said she thinks parents are willing to pay a little more in taxes to save teaching positions.

 “You really need to know their cuts are going to make huge impacts on the students we teach,” she said. “The morale is very low already. We put our heart and soul into this. To make more cuts now would really devastate us.”

Kari Kennedy, a junior at Biddeford High School, said she feels “like the school system is just numbers on a page” to some city officials.

“You don’t understand what this will do to our school system. It’s going to be horrible,” she said.

Emma James, a high school sophomore, was in tears as she told councilors how she has grown close to teachers who could lose their jobs.

“I don’t know how I’m going to say goodbye to them,” she said.

Resident Wayne McBreairty said the council should do more to try to save the 23 school jobs.

“These are our children we are talking about,” he said.

 Twomey said councilors have worked hard to balance cuts across the city and school budgets.

 “I wish I had a magic wand because you all deserve everything you’re asking for,” she said. “When you cut, you hurt and I do not want to hurt school children. I do not want to hurt employees.”

Twomey, who also is chairman of the school committee, said she will veto the budget if the council does not reinstate the $80,000 cut from the schools.

Poli told councilors at an April 28 special council meeting she doesn’t want to make any more staff cuts. She said she was “shocked and disappointed” by the council’s decision to cut $80,000 from the school budget.

 “We’re going to lose some very good people in our district. They’re very discouraged. I just have a lot of very discouraged people right now,” she said.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.