DIXFIELD — Residents from the 12 towns of Western Foothills Regional School Unit 10 approved a proposed $34.1 million operating budget Wednesday night by a ratio of slightly more than 3-to-1.

About 100 residents turned out for the first of two votes needed to adopt an operating budget for school year 2011-12.

The second vote, to validate the $34.1 budget, will be by a referendum in each member town on June 14.

Each of the 15 articles that make up the total budget figure was approved by the majority, with about 10 to 12 people voting against each.

Sumner resident Tom Standard motioned to reduce each article by about 10 percent, but each time the motion was defeated.

He said his plan was to have a figure adopted that reflected a monetary amount recommended by the state as sufficient money to provide Essential Programs and Services for school districts.

“I love education, but can’t afford to give a Cadillac education,” he said of the proposed budget.

Superintendent Tom Ward said Essential Programs and Services provides for basic education, but not for co-curricular and extracurricular activities, such as athletics and clubs, special education and transportation costs.

Standard said that most of the items not included in Essential Programs and Services were for entertaining students.

While most of the individual articles were acted on by a show of hands, the article asking voters to act on raising an additional $4.4 million in local money to fund the items not included in Essential Programs and Services was acted on by written ballot.

The vote on that was 61-19 in favor.

State aid to education will provide about 61 percent of the overall budget.

Voters also approved Vocational Region 11’s proposed budget of $3.6 million, Region 9 School of Applied Technology’s adult education budget of $285,526, the RSU 10 adult education budget of $48,022, and the purchase of two new school buses at a cost of $160,000 financed over three years.

Despite a third year of flat funding, most towns in RSU 10 will see an increase in taxes if the $34.1 million figure is approved at referendum. For a home valued at $100,000, that increase could be: Buckfield, $95.90; Byron, $31.98; Canton, $32.57; Carthage, $75.94; Dixfield, $124.72; Hartford, $32.77; Mexico, $97.26; Peru, $44.61; Rumford. $19.04; and Sumner, $44.36. Roxbury would see a drop in school taxes of $95.25 and Hanover would see a decrease of $89.64.

When voters go to the polls June 14, they will see a single question on the ballot that asks whether they approve the $34.1 million adopted Thursday night.

Polling hours and places are:

* Buckfield, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Municipal Center

* Byron, noon to 8 p.m.,Town Office

* Canton, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Town Office.

* Carthage, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Town Office.

* Dixfield, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Swasey-Torrey American Legion Hall.

* Hanover, noon to 6 p.m., Town Office.

* Hartford, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Hall.

* Mexico, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Hall.

* Peru, noon to 7 p.m., Town Office.

* Roxbury, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Office.

* Rumford, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., American Legion Post 24.

* Sumner, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Office.

The RSU 10 board will meet at 6:30 p.m. June 15 at the Central Office in Dixfield. Regular business will be conducted, as well as and action on the approved budget. If the budget is defeated at the polls, the board will decide its next move.