PARIS – Town and school leaders are sponsoring a forum on Thursday, Oct. 28, to discuss the impact on services if a tax cap referendum is passed by voters on Nov. 2.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the Forum at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.

“I’m pleased with the fact that the towns and the schools would come together” to provide information on Question 1, said Norway Town Manager David Holt.

Holt hopes the public will turn out to listen to the discussion and offer opinions on Question 1, which would limit property tax to 1 percent of assessed value.

He realizes people are frustrated by rising property taxes. But the tax cap, as proposed by Carol Palesky of Topsham, won’t provide the relief they seek, he said.

“It’s an extreme knee-jerk reaction to the displeasure they feel,” said Holt. “In the 28 years I’ve been in town government, I’ve never seen as big a threat to town government.”

A flyer has been prepared for the meeting that outlines the potential impact to the school district and the town of Norway.

The school district has offered to share proportionately in the tax revenue losses, which would mean a $5.6 million cut in the district’s operating budget. Programs that may be eliminated include all athletics and extracurricular activities, all kindergarten classes, technology, elementary guidance, middle school foreign language, and high school advanced placement courses.

Around 64 of 271 teaching positions may be eliminated, the flyer states, as well as 12 administrative positions and 28 support staff positions.

Holt doesn’t think the school district would be allowed by law to absorb the loss in property tax revenue. Even if they could, district voters wouldn’t allow such drastic cuts to school services, he said.

The impact in each of the eight towns of the district will vary depending on the town’s property tax valuation. If SAD 17 does not make voluntary reductions, Norway would need to eliminate 20 of its 27 full-time employees, including Holt as town manager.

The police department would have to be disbanded, and highway department service would be reduced, the flyer states.

“Say what you want . . . if Palesky passes there will be very dramatic changes,” Holt said.

“I think this is important enough, and affects their lives enough, that they better put energy into it.”