AUBURN – With several members saying Auburn taxpayers have spoken and don’t want education cut, the Auburn School Committee approved a $34.28 million budget Wednesday night, which represents a 5 percent increase.

Based on current valuation, the budget would mean $22 in additional property taxes for a $100,000 home. But that $22 is expected to go up when the city adjusts property valuation to more closely resemble the market.

The school spending plan now goes to the Auburn City Council which has the final say on the dollar amount, but not line items.

The budget will not close the East Auburn Community School, cut sports at Edward Little and the Auburn Middle School, or eliminate any assistant principals.

City Councilor Bruce Bickford said three weeks ago he was looking for a budget that did not grow more than 3 percent. Now he’s backed away from that. “I’m looking for a soft 3 percent.”

Before the vote, committee Chairman David Das suggested the school budget only increase 4.5 percent. That was rejected unanimously.

Earlier this month, Das said the committee was trying to pass a budget that did not grow more than 3 percent. He said that would mean cutting sports, closing the East Auburn school or eliminating administrators.

During a public hearing Tuesday night, taxpayers said they did not want the school closed. Some spoke for other cuts, while others said they wanted no cuts, they’d support higher taxes.

“We heard loud and clear that people are willing to pay a little extra, not to balance the budget on the backs of children,” committee member Susan Gaylord said Wednesday in support of a higher budget.

Initially member Bonnie Hayes said she was torn. “I don’t know where to cut, but I hesitate to take a 5 percent budget to the council,” Hayes said. Later she said the budget was analyzed line by line and it has community support. “I’m ready to go with 5 percent, understanding we might need to be back” if the council demands cuts.

Member Lane Feldman said he reviewed $1.2 million in suggested cuts from City Councilor Ray Berube. Some of Berube’s suggestions “maybe,” Feldman said. Others, “no way,” he added. He wondered if the eight to 10 secretaries at the high school could be brought “down a little.”

Several committee members recognized there’s a sentiment in Auburn that there are too many administrators at the high school. Given all the ways they contribute to students’ success, Gaylord said the committee needs “to restate what they do.” Eliminating some of those jobs may be appealing “to those who don’t understand how schools are run,” Gaylord said, but that those cuts would hurt students.

For some taxpayers “it isn’t what they do, it’s how much they’re paid,” Feldman said.

A few taxpayers attending Wednesday’s meeting weren’t happy about the budget growing. Others heaped praise on committee members.

“You do an amazing job,” said high school teacher Candy Gleason who said the high school needs all of its assistant principals. Compared to when she was a student, “it’s a different world” and students need more support.

Ron Potvin of the Small Property Owners of Auburn said the city “cannot continue to spend. Half of this city is not with you.” His group is not looking for “draconian cuts,” but some cuts are necessary, including administration.

Victoria Tanous, an EL student who serves on the committee, blasted Potvin rattling off a litany of duties that assistant principals do. “I don’t understand how, by cutting these people, you would not be impacting the students,” Tanous said.

Potvin said other staff could pick up the work. “Auburn functions like they’re a bigger community than they really are. And we’re paying the bill.”