OXFORD – A proposed $35.4 million fiscal 2008 budget was presented to SAD 17 directors Monday night. The budget reflects a 4.4 percent increase, or more than $1 million above the current fiscal year budget.

“This is the most difficult year we’ve had in a long time,” said Superintendent Mark Eastman of the process to determine the state’s contribution under the third year of its essential programs and services formula. “We did not get clear subsidy figures until recently.”

According to Eastman, the latest information shows that SAD 17 will be financed at 93 percent rather than the previous state goal of 95 percent. Under the new scenario, the local assessments will be $14,886,441, an average increase of 2.82 percent. Under the previous scenario of 95 percent, local assessments would have seen a 1.39 percent increase. The proposed budget of $35,443,191 is $551,000 below the state’s recommended EPS expenditure level.

“It might be the most historic time of transition in public education in Maine, certainly in my time,” said Eastman of issues such as school consolidation, which he said may completely reform year three of the EPS formula.

Eastman said that cost drivers on the fiscal 2008 budget include a $173,000 or 50 percent increase in utilities; a $272,000 increase in health insurance and $680,000 in salary increases. The salary figure does not include raises that could come with a new teachers work contract. The budget also shows $61,000 in school security measures and another $50,000 to fund the continuation of all-day kindergarten.

Capital items, such as a bus purchase, will be part of the budget this year as they were last year. No capital items will be voted on outside of the budget.

People will have an opportunity to see the budget and ask questions at forums to be held in the next few weeks. The final budget will be presented to directors at their May 7 meeting, and on May 29, the district budget hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.

Hearing dates

Hearing on the budget will be held at the following places and times:

April 24, Oxford Elementary School, 7 p.m. Presenters: Mark Eastman, Marcye Gray, Don Gouin.

April 24, Otisfield Community School, 7 p.m. Presenters: Cathy Fanjoy, Kathy Elkins, Dale Piirainen, Tom Moore.

April 25, Guy E. Rowe School, 7 p.m. Presenters: Cathy Fanjoy, Kathy Elkins, Don Gouin, Steve Cummings.

April 25, Paris Elementary School, 7 p.m. Presenters: Mark Eastman, Marcye Gray, Dale Piirainen, Curtis Cole.

April 26, Agnes Gray School, West Paris, 7 p.m. Presenters: Mark Eastman, Marcye Gray, Don Gouin, Dale Piirainen.

April 26, Hebron Station School, 7 p.m. Presenters: Cathy Fanjoy, Kathy Elkins, Curtis Cole.

May 1, Waterford Memorial School, 7 p.m. Presenters: Mark Eastman, Marcye Gray, Don Gouin, Bill Hanger.

May 1, Harrison Elementary School, 7 p.m. Presenters: Cathy Fanjoy, Kathy Elkins, Andy Derstine, Dale Piirainen, Tom Moore.