NEW GLOUCESTER – Polls in Gray and New Gloucester will be open Tuesday to decide on a $17.9 million budget for SAD 15 and to elect school board members and municipal officials.
In Gray, polling hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Stimson Hall; in New Gloucester, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at AMVET Post No. 6.
Eight warrant articles ask voters to appropriate and spend $17,934,622 to fund the district for 2005-06.
Article three requests raising and appropriating $97,000 for annual payments for debt service for major capital school-construction projects and minor capital renovation projects not approved for state subsidy.
And, Article four asks voters to appropriate and raise $1,447,989 in additional local funds for school purposes.
Article five authorizes the school board to spend $17,934,622.
Article six asks voters to appropriate $102,900, which includes $50,000 in local funds to pay for Adult Education.
Article seven asks to appropriate $150,000 from the surplus balance of 2004-05 to add to a capital reserve account.
Article eight asks to raise separately $166,084 to fund an all-day kindergarten program with additional local funds.
The budget increase is 4.98 percent over this year.
But, the increased state subsidy makes it possible to lower the tax rate if the budget is approved, school officials say.
The tax rate drop for Gray would be $1.04 and in New Gloucester, $1.19 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
In New Gloucester, a selectman’s seat is sought by Arthur Wayne Cobb and William “Dale” Maschino.
A school board post is sought by incumbent Carmel Morin and by Ron Brann.
In Gray, incumbents Tod Bennett and Peter Pinkerton are seeking re-election for the school board against former school board member Dan Maguire.
Comments are no longer available on this story