AUBURN – The School Committee has approved a $31.2 million budget for next year.

If OK’d by the City Council, the budget could add 91 cents to the city’s $29.38 property tax rate, or another $91 a year in taxes on a $100,000 home.

“I can justify everything that’s in there,” said Superintendent Barbara Eretzian. “I don’t think it’s a wish list.”

Approved unanimously Wednesday night, the 2004-05 school budget is about $1.4 million – or nearly 5 percent – more than this year’s budget. It includes new funds for a substance abuse and violence counselor, an elementary school gifted and talented coordinator and an additional maintenance worker. It also sets aside new funds to pay for federally-required college courses for teachers, after-school foreign language activities and additional classroom support and tutoring.

The additions added about $380,000. “We recognize that everybody is experiencing difficulty with finances,” Eretzian said. “Yet it’s our responsibility to tell people what we need. We have to talk about it and see what we can afford.”

Under the new budget, Auburn will save about $180,000 by not replacing two elementary school teachers who are leaving and by hiring less experienced teachers to replace retiring teachers now paid at the top of the pay scale. The district also found it will save about $243,000 with lower-than-expected health insurance costs.

During the meeting Wednesday, many board members said they doubted the City Council would allow a $1.4 million increase.

About $1.1 million of it would have to come from the city.

“I fully expect in the next few weeks we’re going to be back here deciding what to cut,” said Theodore Belitsos.

But committee members said the budget increase is going to be necessary for Auburn schools to meet state and federal requirements.

“We have to take a stance and make a commitment,” Eretzian said. “We need to make our case for putting money into education.”

If adopted by the City Council, the budget would mean Auburn’s first tax increase for schools since 2000, when the rate went up 1 cent. Last year, the tax rate Auburn set for school funding dropped by 37 cents.

The school board will now present its approved budget to the City Council and discuss it during a public meeting in May.

The council has the power to send the budget back and tell the committee to ask for less money. If it does, it will be up to the committee to decide what will be cut.

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