FARMINGTON – While the SAD 9 budget has gone up about 5 percent over past year, taxpayers within the district will actually be paying about $400,000 less toward next year’s school budget, board chairman Ray Glass said.
The proposed budget totals $22,984,440.
“Of that 5 percent, a lot is due to the increase in fuel cost and some maintenance costs,” he said. The increase is offset by an increase in revenue from the state, he added. “We’ll see a slight decline in what we have to raise locally.”
Savings also result from cutting a special education position at the Mallet School and a librarian’s position at the middle school, which will be replaced by an education technician.
As of 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, only five towns had reported referendum results for the SAD 9 budget. While Farmington, Wilton and Temple passed all 13 budget questions, New Vineyard rejected them all and Industry voted no on all but three.
The yes votes still outnumbered the no’s.
If the budget passes, the towns will be responsible for $6,3564,318. Farmington will pay the most at $2,421,360 followed by Wilton at $1,348,620. The remaining seven towns will pay anywhere from $202,920 (Temple) to $459,040 (Industry).
In the past, Glass received comments and complaints about the budget from voters. “I haven’t heard a thing this year,” he said.
The biggest chunk of the almost $23 million budget is more than $12 million for instructional expenses for all classes, followed by nearly $4 million for operations and $2.3 million for instructional support.
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