MONMOUTH – After twice rejecting the school budget, voters here are being asked a third time to support spending levels that remain uncut.

The $7.62 million budget proposal put before voters during a town meeting on July 14 is the same amount that was defeated June 30 by a 357-239 vote.

Maine Department of Education and Maine Municipal Association spokesmen said Monday they weren’t aware of another community voting for a third time this year on a school budget.

What is different now about Monmouth’s proposed budget is it has $158,000 more in revenue, $125,000 from Medicaid and $33,000 from state taxpayers, Town Manager Curtis Lunt said Monday. That means less would be expected from property taxpayers. Property taxes would still be 2.7 percent higher than last year.

Initially, selectmen wanted a lower school budget, but when revenue projections came in higher, selectmen agreed with the School Committee to ask people to vote on a $7.6 million budget, Lunt said.

Selectmen “didn’t cut the budget,” Lunt said. “The selectmen feel what the taxes are is what counts. They felt the town couldn’t afford a 6 percent increase for taxes,” but agreed to a budget that raised taxes 2.7 percent.

At Monday night’s meeting, voters can change the budget amount that will appear on the ballot. Voting will be held July 23 at the town hall.

The budget is the talk of the town, said Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Pauline McDougald. People stop her on the street to talk about it, she said, adding she doesn’t know if it will pass on the third try.

“We have elderly people here, living on Social Security. They’re hurting with higher grocery and gas prices,” McDougald said. “People are upset, saying we’ve got to cut.”

Voters have already voted no twice, said Steve Kolenda, a former school board member and selectman who has spoken out against higher taxes. “Right now voters are very energized. There’s not much tolerance among voters for any tax increase,” he said.

This year, Monmouth has received about $350,000 in new revenue from the state and federal government, Kolenda said. “Taxpayers would like to see that cover all the increases.”

Superintendent of Schools Leon Duff acknowledged there are no cuts in the budget from the last vote, and he doesn’t know if voters will support it.

“I hope they consider their schools are at stake,” Duff said. If the $7.62 million budget is not approved, Monmouth schools “are not the same school system.”

He said he was unable to include the higher federal revenue amount until June 30 when federal legislation was passed, making the Medicaid figure secure.

The big cost-drivers are fuel, some maintenance, higher health costs and teacher raises. Monmouth teachers received a $2,000-across-the-board raise this year to improve salaries, which means average teacher pay in Monmouth is $43,000, Duff said. Average teacher pay statewide was $42,103 in 2007, according to the state Department of Education.

To run a Monmouth election costs a few hundred dollars to print ballots and pay ballot clerks, Lunt said. He said he hopes this will be the last referendum this year. “We don’t want round four, but whatever it takes,” he said.

Monday’s meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Monmouth Academy.