SUMNER – Maine Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron will meet with selectmen Tuesday to talk about school funding.

Also invited by selectmen to the 7 p.m. meeting in town hall is SAD 39 Superintendent William Shuttleworth, and state legislators including Rep. Rosita Gagne-Friel, D-Buckfield, and Sen. Bruce Bryant, D-Dixfield.

“We have a very, very small community with no tax base,” said Mark Silber, selectmen chairman.

The population of Sumner is 850. The only businesses are a garage, a country store and Silber’s Hedgehog Hill Farm.

Silber said last year’s SAD 39 budget resulted in a 25 percent increase in taxes.

“The school budget is going up relentlessly, and our town budget is underfunded,” Silber said. “It’s just a tremendous burden on the town.”

Silber said selectmen want to hear from the school officials their thoughts on ways to cut costs and devise a more equitable school funding formula.

As school costs rise, the town has had no other choice but to draw off its general fund, Silber said.

“Our general fund is down to the bare bones,” he said.