AMG Municipal & School Budget Spending Watch

Quote of the Week #1.

"I will agree with those who think we underfund education if your goal is to involve the state in an always-expanding role in the life of the child. If that's the case, you will never have enough money because you are asking the state to replace, well, you. The dirty little secret, of course, is that school boards negotiate contracts with teachers for amounts of money they don't have and when it comes time to pay the piper they end up selling this balderdash about how we have cut education spending. No, we haven't. The school boards should negotiate contracts based on the amount of money they know they can afford, not the amount of money they hope they can coerce out of the next legislative session." – St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist Joe Soucheray in the newspaper's March 2 issue.Education Intelligence Agency:
http://members.aol.com/educationintel/

Tuesday, March 8, 2005SAD 71 cost-cutting may mean job cutsBy JEN FISH, Portland Press Herald WriterCopyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. KENNEBUNK — School Administrative District 71 Superintendent Tom Farrell plans to cut at least eight full-time positions to limit budget increases as officials continue to struggle with the state's new funding formula. "This is not a final document," Farrell said of the budget presented at a public hearing Monday. But, he said, the district remains committed to cutting costs.In the past, school officials have had trouble passing a budget for the district, which covers Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. In 2002, voters rejected two spending proposals before approving a budget. A year later, the budget passed on the second vote.The latest draft of the 2005-06 spending plan of $27.5 million reflects an increase of about 5.2 percent over this year's budget.Most of that increase comes from salary increases for the district's teachers, as well as a sizable payment to cover the cost of building the district's new elementary school.full text:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/york/050308sad71.shtml

PPH 3/8/05 DispatchesSanford: Town manager's budget has increase of 4.5 percentTown Manager Mark Green has sent a $15M budget proposal to the Finance Committee.Endorsed by the Town Council, the spending plan is up by about 4.5 percent from this year's budget.Green has proposed a $900,000 capital budget, an increase of about 12.5 percent from this year's capital budget.Green said the increases are largely because of new debt payments from the purchase of the Modern Continental building at Sanford Regional Airport and new fire trucks and other equipment, and an extra week in the payroll year.The budget proposal also includes a new position in the code enforcement office, to be funded by building permit and engineering review fees. Green said the position was needed because of an increase in housing construction in town. More than 700 housing units have been approved for construction or are awaiting approval.The Finance Committee can make adjustments to the manager's proposals before sending it to Town Meeting members for approval.The Capital Improvement Committee will meet on the proposed budget at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Town Hall Annex third floor conference room. The Finance Committee will meet on the budget at 7 p.m. Thursday in the council chambers at the Town Hall Annex. A public hearing on the budget will be held at 7 p.m. March 17 in the council chambers.http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/york/050308dispatches.shtml

The quote is great.And I particularly like the remark about claiming that "education keeps getting cut." I've seen this used in public meetings, when there isn't a budget decrease in recent memory. Nor in state funding.Doesn't matter, it brings tears to the right eyes.

I'm presenting a memo to a local school board, gratis of a friendly supt. of schools, on options to the clauses in the teachers' union contract being negotiated.Including all kinds of things that annoy the hell out of any taxpayer...why should the union get to use the duplicating equipment and computers for their lobbying campaigns, or get exclusive right to challenge any policy they disagree with? Performance and merit clauses are being incorporated.I think this is a first for Maine, and when I get a version I like; I'll be glad to circulate it to any 'intervenor' who wants to get a full public review of a proposed contract and wants to lobby the entire school board on options to 'more of the same and more money, no matter what happens to performance and enrollment'.'education keeps getting cut...oh, like those four golf coaches, err, teacher leadership positions; or the two "cluster coordinators" at $7,236 & $6,512 each; or the 6 "computer coordinators or "coordinator of social workers" at $2,985.(Portland Education Association contract). fjh.[ 03-08-2005: Message edited by: FJH ]

"Last year's budget increase was under 1%, and you still opposed it."Yes, and the majority of voters at the polls opposed it because:"even if the budget increase was under 1%, school taxes for the six towns last year increased 6.3%; 9% in St. Albans, 8.2% in Newport, 7.3% in Plymouth, 7.2% in Palmyra, 3% in Corinna, and 1.7% in Hartland."In other words, a 1% increase in the budget required a 6.3% increase in school taxes.And because over the last 2 years school taxes in SAD 48 increased 20.6% overall and in the individual towns:Corinna 14.6
Hartland 12.5
Newport 23.4
Palmyra 20.7
Plymouth 25.5
St. Albans 26.6A tax increase of no more than the rate of inflation would have required no increase in the budget. That's why the Committee for Reasonable Taxes opposed it.As I said above, "It is time for the school board to give first priority to the taxpayers rather than teachers and administrators." If that means flat or reduced budgets compared to last year, so be it. The taxpayers should come first for a while. In spite of taxpayer rejection twice, the budget was passed at a third vote at a district meeting at which there were fewer votes for the budget than there were against the budget at the previous vote at the polls.

You can't scrutinize a school budget without a firm understanding of the people covered by the union contract--how long they've been there, their pay and step level, subsidies, etc.; and the length of the contract.To a large extent the actual budget is irrelevant, because the contract provisions drive the overall personnel cost---which is usually over 80% of the Budget.A cost conscious superintendent will 'manage' the expensive teachers at the top end of the pay school, and nudge them out of the system; replacing them with low cost, entry level people. If five teachers at the top leave at say $50k and are replaced by 5 at $25k, there is a potential saving of $125k. The rest of the budget is small change, and to argue over it is almost nit picking! Keep your eye on the ball and avoid the smoke and mirrors game played by the union!fjh.[ 03-09-2005: Message edited by: FJH ]

FJH - with respect, trying to rein in non-labor spending is not nitpicking, not when you look at the overall increases for the last ten or twelve years. Today's budget increase of $48K becomes tomorrow's increase of $480K by 2015. And then some.I agree it's indeed small potatoes compared to labor costs and benefits, but they have sucked the marrow from the taxpayer's bones so thoroughly that nothing is nitpicking anymore.When you only have ten cents, somebody wanting twelve from you is an onerous burden.[ 03-09-2005: Message edited by: Naran ]

The number of teachers and staff and the student/teacher ratios are as important as the union contract. It is not only how much teachers are paid that is important. How many are being paid is important.It is often said that when a contract is locked in, nothing can be done about staff costs. That is untrue because staff can always be cut and such cuts are often justified. The number of teachers is not set by union contract.

NARAN..with all due respect, your wasting my time at a budget hearing on the cost of construction paper and other supplies!Non-teaching personnel---SAD 48's fleet of guidance counselors and now all those nurses getting partially subsidized from MEDICAID money, also don't get full scrutiny. Schools are filled, esp. high schools where they have their own office wing and parking lot; with non-teaching personnel. And then there are all the coaches...do the Portland Schools really need 8 swimming assistants at a total of $19,493?...or a total of 14 outdoor and indoor track 'assistants'? The real meat of any school budget is in personnel; when you start nit picking you are simply doing exactly what the union wants, which is a room full of coupon clippers and WALMART shoppers who won't take the time to deal with the financial complexity of personnel management or have the guts to face down some person in the back of the room who is protecting their job. All too often it is the elementary schools which suffer at the expense of the high school, which usually has all the money. Compare the faculty at NOKOMIS H.S. in SAD 48 with that of one of the remaining elementary schools; and do a per pupil cost analysis. Since almost any educator knows the prime learing learning years are in elementary school, why aren't these schools enriched, instead of the High School?
...easy answer, the political mass of the high school lobby far outweighs that of the elementary schools. fjh....keep you eye on the big bucks!

FJH - we do also keep our eyes on the big bucks, trust me. That particular argument comes Monday night, now that we think (maybe) the labor portion of the proposed budget can finally be determined. LD1 has kept everyone well behind schedule this year.We anticipate cutting 8.8 FTE's, as mentioned in the article I posted earlier. This is a combination of declining enrollment and EPS. That's IF the board listens to the superintendent. At least one of those FTE's is a school nurse, to bring us more in line with EPS. We anticipate this cut will bring the largest amount of opposition from the parents.However, we do persevere. Thank you for the gentle encouragement. As for the elementary school vs. high school issues, we have exactly the recommended scenario you're describing. An extravagant, overly-built brand new elementary school with every bell and whistle they make, two administrators, and a lovely guidance staff, all for K-3 and a declining enrollment. Built for 600, already down to 480.vs. an outdated, shabby, 50-year old, badly-equipped high school.Guess which one my kid attends? ;)

Amazing, 29 and you have have a high school age kid?Steven Scharf
SCSMedia@aol.com

NARAN...well thanks for the explanation. I'd like some feedback on the politics of the school nurse cutbacks, since these are partially subsidized positions. Around here the department gets a lot back from Medicaid for nursing(?) and other services....don't know the details and I have reservations about expanding the social and health services in schools anymore...what's next...they already opened a cafe. at the voc. school and advertising it!Don't forget the strategic value of 'nit-picking', esp. replacing equipment that isn't quite obsolete...some teachers always seem to buy all the stuff for their classrooms, and you can't even get into them any more. I have never seen so much waste as in a public school! So if you find a wasteful request, you can score points and go on from there to the big bucks!Good Luck and hang tough!fjh.

Here you go Bob, Not much in the way of relief here.Town meetings to start Saturday Town meeting season 2005 kicks into high gear beginning Saturday.
The annual meetings, which have their roots in colonial times, have seen attendance dwindle over the decades. The election of town officials such as selectmen and school board members are done at the polls on the day prior to each community's annual town meeting. The only exceptions locally are North Haven and South Thomaston which nominate and elect candidates from the floor of the town meetings.North Haven The North Haven town meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at the North Haven Community Building.Residents will vote on a $1,075,435 budget, which is up about 11 percent from last year's $969,163 spending package. The budget includes $178,000 for administration, $131,000 for medical coverage and $118,000 for solid waste.
CushingIn Cushing, the meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, at the Cushing Community Center.A $644,000 budget will go to residents. This is 84 percent greater than the 2004 budget. Of that amount, $203,000 would be raised from property taxes which is $67,000 more than a year ago. The rest would be financed using excise taxes and surplus.Proposed spending includes a new fire truck, aerial tax maps, and renovations to the community center.St. GeorgeIn St. George, a proposed $1.8 million municipal budget will be before residents when they gather at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, at the town office.Several proposed land transactions and renovations to the old school house and town office building are on the warrant.The $1,863,000 budget is up about 4 percent from last year. Residents will have to raise about $777,000 locally.
FriendshipFriendship will hold its meeting 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, at the Hahn Community Center.On the warrant are budget items totaling $656,912, up about $92,000 from last year. The amount of property taxes to be raised is $291,912, up $92,662.Among the items is whether to approve the construction of a new town office for about $250,000 of which $140,000 would come from the town's already raised capital improvement fund.WashingtonWashington holds its annual meetings on Saturdays. This year's meeting is set for 10 a.m. March 26 at the Bryant Community Center.A $589,477 municipal budget is proposed, up slightly from last year's $587,000 spending package.Doug Daniel and Kathleen Ocean are seeking one three-year seat.
South ThomastonSouth Thomaston and Warren follow with town meetings on Tuesday, March 29.In South Thomaston, residents will vote on a $982,135 municipal budget, up 1 percent from 2004. The amount to be raised in property taxes for the town services, however, are down 12 percent.
WarrenWarren's town meeting will be held 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at the Masonic Hall on Route 90.The fate of the old mill site, formerly Crowe Rope, will be the focus of three warrant articles. One will ask voters whether they want to keep or sell the property. If kept, other questions would ask whether the property should be made into a town park and whether the town can seek grants to develop the park.The proposed town budget is $1,916,731, down 1 percent from 2004. The amount to be raised locally is $720,000.
web page

quote:Originally posted by Steven Scharf:
Amazing, 29 and you have have a high school age kid?Steven Scharf

:D I started early, us NH girls are known for that. Not much else to do in the woods. ;)

In a no frills meeting held in the meeting room of the Taniscot building March 3, the Newcastle Budget Committee signed off on a municipal budget totaling $974,121.Should voters approve, the budget allocates $270,000 from excise taxes and $136,170 from surplus, which together would reduce the requested appropriation to $604,121.The bottom line is a $35,969 increase over fiscal 2004.With budget committee approval, the figures go to the warrant for Newcastle’s annual town meeting Mon., March 28.

quote:Originally posted by FJH:
NARAN...well thanks for the explanation. I'd like some feedback on the politics of the school nurse cutbacks, since these are partially subsidized positions. Around here the department gets a lot back from Medicaid for nursing(?) and other services....don't know the details and I have reservations about expanding the social and health services in schools anymore...what's next...they already opened a cafe. at the voc. school and advertising it!Don't forget the strategic value of 'nit-picking', esp. replacing equipment that isn't quite obsolete...some teachers always seem to buy all the stuff for their classrooms, and you can't even get into them any more. I have never seen so much waste as in a public school! So if you find a wasteful request, you can score points and go on from there to the big bucks!Good Luck and hang tough!fjh.

Thanks! Since we've been hammering on them for some years now, they are starting to pay attention to things like farming old equipment out to older schools within the district as new schools come online. They are also, for the first time, selling unneeded equipment and books to raise funds.As for the quasi-social service aspect, we keep getting the mandate argument. I still think they're overdoing it on this front, it's an ongoing argument with the board.On the nursing issue, the new EPS guidelines say one nurse for every 800 students. Right now we have a nurse at every single facility, even the one with only 225 kids. The superintendent, faced with trying to fund $2.8M+ outside the cap, is looking to reduce the nursing staff to EPS guidelines. Along with the other reductions he's proposing, in order to try and get that out-of-cap portion down.As a parent, I have mixed emotions on the nursing issue. I'd rather see them eliminate a guidance counselor at each school than a nurse at each school. But that option doesn't seem to be on the table. At least not yet, we'll see Monday night.

MOUNT DESERT - Residents here will be asked to approve a 2005 budget of approximately $11.9 million when the annual town meeting is held this coming Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m. at Mount Desert Elementary School.The budget is the amount proposed by selectmen, and would represent an increase of roughly $680,000 or 6.05 percent, if approved as written. With projected revenue increases not keeping pace, however, the actual amount to be raised through taxation would increase by 6.23 percent, from $9.5 million to $10.09 million. The estimated mill rate would be $14.35 per thousand dollars of valuation. Unlike recent past years, the 2005 warrant contains little of controversy, although the Warrant Committee has recommended about $145,000 less in spending, including a cut in the amount to go into a new fire engine reserve account and making a proposed new full-time position at the town office part-time, which would in turn save on fringe benefits.web page[ 03-09-2005: Message edited by: Keenan ]

quote:Originally posted by Naran:
[b] :)[ 03-09-2005: Message edited by: AlAmoling ]

Note on the following story: we've lived without sidewalks all over town for 20 years, suddenly they're a burning issue. :roll: Saturday, March 12, 2005Spending-cap mandate criticizedBy JEN FISH, Staff WriterCopyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

KENNEBUNK ‹ Town officials are projecting modest increases to next year's budget while keeping in line with the new state-mandated spending cap passed by the Legislature in January.Under the new law, municipalities are limited on how much they can collect in property taxes to pay for municipal services. The amount of money a town has to spend is determined by a complicated formula based on average personal income and population growth.While the new plan aims to reduce Maine's property tax burden, town officials argue the plan has made an already complex process even more convoluted and will not provide any meaningful tax relief."This is the most difficult budget process we've gone through," Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said.Using the new formula, Tibbetts said he had about $232,000 to spend for next year to remain under the cap. Anything over the cap, he said, must be decided by voters via a secret ballot election during the annual town meeting.Currently, there are 10 capital projects listed as being "above the cap" that Tibbetts said voters will decide at the town meeting. If all of these projects are approved, the budget will total about $9.4 million, which represents an increase of 2.6 percent over this year's spending.The capital projects that are considered above the cap range from repairing sidewalks to construction of a new fire station in West Kennebunk. The town is also budgeting $21,000 to take control of the now-vacant Park and Cousens schools.Tibbetts said that four of the projects proposed will come from reserve funds, and are one-time projects that will not generate any new taxes. Those four projects are: $100,000 for a new fire truck; $105,000 to replace the Harbor Playground on Park Street; $25,000 to relocate the town's skatepark near the high school; and $25,000 for the selectmen's contingency account.The difficulty for officials, Tibbetts said, is deciding what goes over the cap and what doesn't. All of the projects that are up for vote, he said, are important to the town."You have to weigh out what you think you can live without," he said. "Can you live without sidewalks for a year, yes. But is that good management ­ no."In looking at the figures, Kennebunk residents would see a decrease in their taxes if voters rejected all 10 of the capital projects. Without those projects, the budget actually would decrease by about a half percent.But Tibbetts and other town officials argue that tax relief comes at the expense of delaying necessary projects for the town."This is absolutely not meaningful tax relief," Selectman Tom Wellman said. "The people still have to vote on what they want to approve. It's just made the presentation harder."The Board of Selectmen will meet on March 22 to decide which projects will be voted on via secret ballot. Some of the projects, officials said, could be voted on through a town-wide referendum election.A final public hearing on the budget will be held in early April. Staff Writer Jen Fish can be contacted at 282-8229 or at: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/york/050312kennebunk1.shtml

Jail group seeks relief
Bob_Kalish@TimesRecord.Com
03/11/2005LD 1's spending cap is seen as creating major problems for the new regional jail.BATH - Members of the Lincoln and Sagadahoc Multicounty Jail Authority want state lawmakers to help them out and "give us some direction" in light of the new spending limits imposed by LD 1.LD 1 is the property tax reform and school funding legislation that was passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. John Baldacci in January. It essentially imposes spending caps on municipalities, school districts and — of greatest concern to the jail authority — counties. LD 1 will go into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns, probably in June.The authority, which oversees the Two Bridges Regional Jail under construction in Wiscasset, discussed the impact of LD 1 during its regular monthly meeting Wednesday. Sagadahoc County Sheriff Mark Westrum, chairman of the authority, said he will call a meeting for late next week of commissioners, legislators and a representative from the governor's office."We need a clear and precise direction from the Legislature and governor," said Westrum. "I'm not giving up one bullet, one person, one cruiser to make it happen."Westrum referred to a concern that the need to use money from the county's operating budget to fund jail construction would mean that county commissioners would have to dip into other accounts to stay within the constraints imposed by LD 1."We need some sort of exemption," said Dan Bradford, a member of the two-county jail authority."We need more than just an exemption," said Sagadahoc County Commissioner Alan Houston."We need for the public and our legislators to know that when we went to them we didn't have a tax cap," Westrum said. "Now we do and we need to know how that's going to impact us."Lincoln County Commissioner Sheridan Bond said the authority needs more funding leeway than what would be possible under LD 1 because the jail board is in its infancy."We need latitude," Bond said. "Until we're up and running, we need to be able to do what has to be done and not held back by the tax cap."Westrum said the uncertainty over the effect of LD 1 is tying the hands of the authority at a time when it needs to move forward. Site work for the $24.6 million facility has already begun and major construction will begin this spring."We're being watched by other county governments to see how regionalization will work," Westrum said. "But if there's no incentive, if they can't make an exemption for us trying to support regionalization, then no one's going to go along with it."State Sen. Dana Dow, R-Waldobro, said on Thursday that he was confident the jail would be exempt from the spending cap."Whether we make all jails exempt or create a special case with this one," he said, "we could sit down and figure out a common-sense approach."State Sen. Art Mayo, D-Bath, said there was lots of support for a jail exemption in the Legislature."I'm very optimistic we'll be able to solve this," Mayo said. "It was never the intent to cut out the county jails from some kind of exemption. I am working with others now on another LD that would fix the problem.

Cape Elizabeth: Town's share of tax rate may increase 3.11 percent CAPE ELIZABETH — Town Manager Michael McGovern is to present his $8 million proposed municipal budget to the Town Council on Monday. The proposal adheres to the 3.3 percent budget cap that the Town Council approved last month. The municipal portion of the tax rate is estimated to increase 3.11 percent. Payroll, benefits and other personnel-related expenses account for 1.1 percent of the spending increase. Several positions in the previous year's budget were eliminated through restructuring or keeping them vacant. The positions include an animal control officer, coordinator of the public access television channel and the manager of the pool and fitness center. Animal control services are contracted to South Portland. Annual capital equipment replacement and infrastructure costs account for more than half of the $256,225 spending increase. Source

This from todays KJ: in Windsor
Residents also voted on more than 40 town-meeting articles Monday, marking the debut of Windsor's secret-ballot town-meeting format. Voters opted for a pared-down budget of approximately $970,000, defeating proposals that could have pushed spending to about $1.04 million. Last year's budget was approximately $975,000. Residents approved Budget Committee proposals of $356,000, $250,000 and $41,050 for public works, town administration and Town Hall expenses, respectively. The committee's proposals were approximately $60,000 cheaper than the Board of Selectmen's suggested amounts for the three budget items.Selectman F. Gerard Nault, who proposed $401,000 for road maintenance, said the board would have to re-evaluate its priorities to work within the approved budget."It's a little premature to say" what will be done, Nault said during a telephone interview Monday night. "Obviously, less work will get done."Residents sided with the Budget Committee in the amount of interest charged to those with late taxes, setting a rate of 6.5 percent instead of 7.75 percent. Voters also defeated a proposal to move Windsor's food bank from the Town Office into a portable classroom from Windsor Elementary School. Selectmen had asked residents to spend $10,000 to move the trailer from the school, where it is being displaced because of construction, to Windsor Memorial Baptist Church.Almost 300 voters -- 289, exactly -- cast ballots in Monday's election, said Town Clerk Sarah Cunningham. Approximately 150 residents voted at last year's town meeting.Cunningham said she received 80 absentee ballots for the election, which had voters decide on more than 40 warrant articles. She said it took most voters about 15 minutes to complete their ballots.

Interesting. Windsor moves to a secret ballot referendum for the first time, and suddenly the number of voters on the town budget doubles from the previous year.Lenny, do you know if that 300 count is a departure from years past in general?[ 03-15-2005: Message edited by: Naran ]

Note the addition of all-day K at the end. In addition to mandatory pre-K being proposed by the DOE, this is the newest scheme to keep education job security in the face of declining enrollments. Parents go for it because it negates their need for daycare.Our current all-day K program costs about $200K per year, in addition to the regular K costs.Freeport: Proposed school budget reflects 5.4 percent increase
3/16/05
PPH DispatchesFREEPORT — The superintendent presented a budget of $13.2 million to the School Committee Monday night. The budget proposal is up $676,240, or 5.4 percent, over this year's budget.After several weeks of debate and public comment, the committee is expected to adopt a budget on April 11 to forward to the Town Council.Most of the increase is due to fixed costs, such as a $433,945 rise in salaries and benefits. Fuel costs also are expected to go up, by $24,500 in the coming school year.Other highlights of the budget are a $70,000 proposal for a new administrative position. The new director of instructional improvement would oversee curriculum, assessment, professional development and data collection in a way that would provide continuity throughout the system, said Superintendent Elaine Tomaszewski.The budget also includes a proposal to add all-day kindergarten next fall, Tomaszewski said.

quote:Originally posted by Naran:
Interesting. Windsor moves to a secret ballot referendum for the first time, and suddenly the number of voters on the town budget doubles from the previous year.Lenny, do you know if that 300 count is a departure from years past in general?[ 03-15-2005: Message edited by: Naran ]

NARAN, I think that is quite a bit higher than normal. Perhaps the claims of intimidation were valid after all. I have only been a resident for a little more than a year, but have followed this soap opera for a while. Nothing nastier than small town politics!

quote:Originally posted by Lenny:

NARAN, I think that is quite a bit higher than normal. Perhaps the claims of intimidation were valid after all. I have only been a resident for a little more than a year, but have followed this soap opera for a while. Nothing nastier than small town politics!

Our turnout at school budget elections more than quadrupled when we moved to a referendum format. Take it from me, the intimidation factor is alive and well if you have the "raise your hand" method instead. Does the average parent want to have Johnny's favorite teacher see them say "no" to her latest 3% raise? No way, Jose.

quote:Originally posted by Naran:
Our turnout at school budget elections more than quadrupled when we moved to a referendum format. Take it from me, the intimidation factor is alive and well if you have the "raise your hand" method instead. Does the average parent want to have Johnny's favorite teacher see them say "no" to her latest 3% raise? No way, Jose.

I must clarify "I have only been a WINDSOR resident for a year, born and raised in the Capitol City" Being a native used to be something to be proud of. Not so sure anymore.

quote:CushingIn Cushing, the meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, at the Cushing Community Center.A $644,000 budget will go to residents. This is 84 percent greater than the 2004 budget. Of that amount, $203,000 would be raised from property taxes which is $67,000 more than a year ago. The rest would be financed using excise taxes and surplus.Proposed spending includes a new fire truck, aerial tax maps, and renovations to the community center.

Voters approved the final spending package with an increase of about 69% or $243,000 over last years budget to $594,080. $184,280 Of the $243,000 will be raised in property taxes, roughly $48,000 more than last year. Approximately $409,800 will be taken from excise taxes.Cushing's share of the SAD 50 school budget is expected to increase 22% this year. It is estimated the towns share will increase $367,000 later this Spring after voters hit the polls. This would bring the towns total payment to about $2 million.

Update - SAD 71 finalized their budget proposal Monday night, 3/21/05. Total new budget $27,426,700 (over $11K per pupil). Kennebunk increase is 4.73% including debt service. Kennebunk ends up with a save; the Port splits the state LD1 windfall... we will end up paying about $600K more after the district cut 11.88 FTE's, saving roughly $444K.
The Port rate is reduced by some 8.93%. How fast can their town spend it? Just watch.Town of Kennebunk finalized their budget Tuesday night, 3/22/05. Total in/out of cap increase roughly 4.5%, although effect to mil rate uncalculated as yet.Increase for York County still looks to be roughly 9%.[ 03-23-2005: Message edited by: Naran ]