BETHEL – After paring $78,000 from a budget referendum request for additional local money, SAD 44’s second attempt to fully fund its budget goes before voters on Tuesday, July 25.
But now, instead of asking for $1,980,740, directors want $1,902,740 to cover increases in fuel and utilities, provide smaller class sizes than recommended by the state, increase special education academic support with educational technicians, cover extra-curricular and co-curricular costs, and transportation costs.
According to the July 25 referendum warrant, none of these are recognized by the state as being essential to education at SAD 44.
Additionally, $536,376.14 of the $1.9 million is needed due to a shortfall in state funding, officials said.
At the second referendum’s public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, July 17, in the Telstar High School library, directors and Superintendent David Murphy will explain all of this and more.
“The board is hopeful that through this reduction and communications, there will be a favorable vote this time around,” Murphy said on Thursday in Bethel.
Directors pared a capital improvement project to repair the high school’s front entryway and canceled driveway maintenance for a year.
A majority of referendum voters at the June 13 polls authorized the nearly $10 million budget, but declined to raise or appropriate nearly $2 million in additional funds.
That amount exceeded what the state says SAD 44 should spend to educate its students by $1,444,364.
The new figure, $1,902,740, still exceeds the state’s figure by $1,366,364.
If voters reject the revised amount, directors can continue to try to get it passed, either by referendum or a public hearing, until it is approved, Murphy said.
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