MEXICO – The Region 9 School of Applied Technology board on Tuesday approved a $2 million secondary school budget for fiscal year 2009-10.

The board then unanimously approved an adult education budget of $296,945.

There was little discussion.

Directors applied an $80,000 carryover to reduce the $2 million secondary school budget to $1.93 million. That amount is up $30,130 over the current budget.

Electricity costs budgeted at $25,000 for the new school building are driving the bulk of the increase, said Director Brenda Gammon.

To keep budget costs down, the board cut a total of $26,000 by giving teachers 3-percent, across-the-board raises rather than expected step hikes.

For example, Gammon said, a teacher’s salary of $42,310 would have been $46,226 under the step system. However, with a 3-percent raise, the teacher actually loses $2,646.70 from the step hike, giving the person a new salary of $43,579.

“The 3-percent increase is actually a cut,” board member Wayne Thurston said.

Next up: The Region 9 and adult education budgets will go to voters in the Rumford, Bethel and Dixfield school districts on May 19.