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LIVERMORE FALLS – SAD 36 directors will hold a districtwide meeting Tuesday for voters to act on accounts in a proposed $9.26 million budget for fiscal 2009.

The spending plan represents a $196,513 increase over this year’s $9.06 million budget.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. June 3 at the Livermore Falls High School cafeteria.

It will be followed by a “yes” or “no” referendum validation Tuesday, June 10, at the polls in Livermore and Livermore Falls. Polling hours that day are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Livermore Town Office and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Livermore Falls Town Office.

Initially, SAD 36 directors approved a $9.28 million budget go to voters, but Superintendent Terry Despres said the district anticipates more revenues to offset the increase and cost savings to lower the proposal to $9.26 million.

There are more students from Fayette than expected, which increased anticipated tuition by about $39,000, Despres said, plus there is $55,000 in new revenues anticipated from the BestBid initiative and $50,000 in carry-over funds to reduce the tax commitment, he said.

In addition, the state-approved projects will help the district do repairs and upgrades at the high and middle schools at a minimum cost to taxpayers.

Those projects are to put a new roof and entry doors at the high school and electrical work at both schools.

If the district had to go out to bond itself, Despres said, it would cost about $402,000 for the projects, but since it is through the state, the district will be responsible for about $51,000.

The loan is for five years and it will cost each town about $5,000 each of those years, he said.

The budget sustains programs, he said, and moves the gifted and talented program to all three schools. There were some personnel reduction through attrition, he added.

Because of the changes in revenues and other offsets, the tax rate will be reduced by 49 cents per $1,000 of property value, he said.

The tax rate for education has gone from $14.67 per $1,000 of valuation in fiscal 2005 down to $10.06 per $1,000 of property in fiscal 2008 and will drop again in the coming year, he said.

Livermore’s share of the proposed budget is $1.65 million and Livermore Falls’ is $1.57 million for a combined amount of $3.39 million, according to a district revenue sheet.

On Tuesday, voters will consider authorizing the district to spend the following amounts:

• $4.1 million for regular instruction;

• $1.05 million for special education;

• $170,700 for other instruction;

• $717,355 for student and staff support;

• $532,715 for system administration;

• $379,525 for school administration;

• $616,731 for transportation and buses;

• $1.3 million for facilities and maintenance;

• • $311,72 7 for debt service and other commitments; and

• $40,000 for all other expenditures.

• No money for career and technical education due to a preagreement with Foster Regional Applied Technology Center in Farmington.

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