“Let them know that we as a community cannot afford this much longer. People are going to lose their homes. Unless we all put in the effort to stop this,” Hinkley wrote on the Facebook page People of Buckfield.

Buckfield belongs to the Rumford-based RSU 10, which also includes the communities of Mexico, Hartford, Sumner, Roxbury and Hanover.

The proposed RSU 10 school budget for 2025-26 was unveiled at a meeting in Rumford Monday. It showed Buckfield’s taxes for schools would increase by more than 19%, the highest of any of the municipalities in the district.

The school budget increased more than 7% two years ago and more than 11% last year, Hinkley said. By his calculations, Buckfield’s share increased by a half-million dollars in less than three years for just 250 students if the proposed budget passes as is, he said.

By comparison, the town’s initial proposed municipal budget is increasing by 8.9% before accounting for any revenue.

“If the school board cannot find ways to save considerable money, we are facing yet another double-digit increase that will make our property taxes even more unaffordable,” Hinkley wrote. “I know many want to blame the town for their taxes because that’s who the check is written out to. But the fact of the matter is two-thirds of your payment goes right back out to the school.”

Hinkley ended his message by listing the email addresses for the 10 members of the RSU 10 board of directors, as well as Superintendent Deb Alden and Assistant Superintendent Matthew Gilbert.

“I do not want to see our kids’ education suffer. However, we cannot afford these increases anymore,” he added.

RSU 10 Business Manager Leah Kaulback did not return calls seeking comment.