LEWISTON — The public will have the final say on the proposed Lewiston school budget in a referendum Tuesday, May 14.

Voting will be from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Longley Elementary School, Birch Street, the former Multi-Purpose Center.

The proposed budget is $58.4 million, up from the current $54.5 million. The budget alone would mean an increase of $72 a year for a home valued at $150,000. But because the city side of the budget is being cut, the overall impact on property taxes will be less, about $39 for a $150,000 home, Superintendent Bill Webster said.

“This budget represents an appropriate balance between the educational needs of Lewiston students and our community’s financial ability to pay,” Webster said Thursday. The budget would “allow us to maintain the status quo, but not expand programs.” He urged residents to show up and vote.

“It’s very important that residents to go the polls and vote on this significant expendutire on behalf of Lewiston students,” he said.

Of the proposed $58.4 million budget, $38.5 million comes from state taxpayers, $17.1 million from Lewiston property taxpayers. While the state is giving Lewiston more money for education, two changes in state policy mean Lewiston, like all school districts, will also have to pay more for things the state used to cover, including teacher pensions and special ed costs.

Other reasons for a higher budget include the first year’s payment on the $9.1 million bond to renovate and expand the Lewiston Middle School ($740,000), raises for teachers ($846,000), and 13 new positions, mostly teachers and ed techs ($501,000) to keep pace with a growing student population. Lewiston’s student population of 5,139 is expected to increase by another 150 students this fall.

The increase is less than the 8.4 percent Webster called for March 5 when he first proposed the budget. After the City Council said an 8.4 percent increase would be too much, School Committee members cut spending, including hiring fewer teachers and cutting course reimbursements to teachers.