LIVERMORE FALLS — Residents of Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls will have another chance Tuesday to act on a proposed 2012-13 operating budget for RSU 73.

Last week, voters at a districtwide budget meeting approved an $18.59 million budget, which is a 1 percent increase over the current year’s figure. The proposed budget is also more than $200,000 less than the first budget approved at a districtwide meeting in June and defeated at referendum. It also is more than $100,000 less than a second budget that was approved at a districtwide meeting in July and defeated again at referendum.

Voters may cast their ballots from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the Livermore Town Office, the Livermore Falls Town Office and at the Jay Community Building.

Clerks in each of the towns said for absentee ballots, eight had been cast in Livermore Falls, 10 in Livermore and 14 in Jay.

The first day of classes for students is Aug. 28.

This will be the first combined operating budget for the school district. The Jay School Department and RSU 36 merged July 1, 2011. With a declining student enrollment and increasing costs, the joint venture is expected to save district taxpayers a considerable amount of money once the physical merger is complete.

At least one more school is expected to be closed: the high school in Livermore Falls. Those students will attend the high school in Jay. The Livermore Falls Middle School already has been closed, and the board is working on finding other ways to save money.

Wall said at last week’s districtwide budget meeting that under the proposed budget, taxpayers of two of the district’s three member towns pay a substantially smaller percent of school taxes than the state average of 68 percent. Jay’s share is 55 percent and Livermore Falls share is 48 percent. Livermore residents pay 69 percent.

An RSU 73 board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 23 to act on the voting results.

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