LIVERMORE FALLS – SAD 36 directors will hold a public hearing Thursday on a $9.15 million spending plan for fiscal year 2008. The amount is $479,656 more than this year’s budget.

The proposed budget for school operations for kindergarten through grade 12 is $9 million. There is also $55,000 for food service, which includes continuing to pay off an accrued debt for the program that ran at a loss for several years, and $91,760 for SAD 36’s share of the adult education program.

Though the budget is up, the package would deliver a reduction of $1.30 per $1,000 of valuation in the assessed tax rate for education, Superintendent Terry Despres previously said.

The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at the Cedar Street Learning Complex.

The budget reduces the tax rate for education from $14.67 per $1,000 valuation in fiscal 2003 to $10.55 per $1,000 of valuation in next year’s budget, according to Despres.

Under the proposal, the state’s share of the budget is estimated to be $5.7 million if voters approve spending about $3.1 million in local money.

The district will assess a combined $3.1 million to Livermore and Livermore Falls with Livermore’s share projected to increase to $1.56 million and Livermore Falls’ projected to drop to $1.55 million.

Livermore’s share will increase due to a higher state evaluation of $147.95 million while Livermore Falls’ state valuation is $147.25 million.

The budget proposal reflects returning to two bus runs from one that has been in effect for two years due to a decrease in state support to buy buses and pay bus monitors.

The budget protects students’ education and the two towns, if a school consolidation proposal at the state level goes into effect next year, according to Despres.

There will be no loss of jobs under the budget, just some shifting of personnel in some areas. The budget covers anticipated increases in the cost of health insurance, fuel and energy.