FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 heads back to the drawing board on Tuesday at Mt. Blue High School to create a budget acceptable to voters following a sound defeat of the previous $32.25 million proposal June 9.

Superintendent Thomas Ward said Monday that although he didn’t think a new budget will get fully hammered out at Tuesday’s meeting, it will be a time to look at potential reductions.

The first budget proposed a 3.9 percent increase — $1.2 million more than the previous year. With a significant rise in special education costs, it represented what Ward called a no-win situation.

Farmington, Weld and Starks residents voted to approve the budget, but Chesterville, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Temple, Vienna and Wilton voters rejected it. The final tally was 741 for and 1,045 against.

Towns vote on the budget again in a June 30 referendum.

Ward said that an increase in the amount towns have to raise to receive their share in state allocations was unrealistic, but hoped eventual passage of the state budget will give towns a good idea of how much General Purpose Aid to Education to expect. Such aid could provide some relief to property owners.

New Sharon Selectmen Lorna Nichols, Travis Pond and Milton Sinclair urged residents to vote no on the first budget.

The release said, “With continued reductions in state funding, RSU 9’s budget increase of $1.2 million puts New Sharon’s increase to you, our taxpayers, at $171,291 more than 2014 — potentially bringing the current mil rate of 15.2 to 18.2 (or higher), which equates to $300 more per $100,000 of property valuation.”

It said that while board members strongly support education, “the state Legislature has discussed adding between $25 million and $50 million into General Purpose Aid for Education as part of the budget process, which would help to reduce the burden locally, (but) there is no guarantee that will happen — and in the end, the increase for all 10 district towns ultimately falls upon local taxpayers.”

The three weren’t available for comment Monday.

Douglas McIntire — 861-9252

dmcintire@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @CD_McIntire