RSU 9 $32.04 million budget goes to polls Tuesday

Residents in the 10 towns in Regional School Unit 9 will go to the polls Tuesday to vote on the $32.04 million school district budget.

It’s the second time the towns have considered the budget. A $32.25 million budget was rejected June 9.

Towns in the distrcit are Farmington, Chesterville, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Starks, Temple, Vienna, Weld and Wilton.

The lower budget was approved for referendum at a meeting last week by more than 200 voters in the district.

In addition to the more than $200,000 cut from the rejected June proposal, money from the state general purpose aid to education will create $301,405 in extra savings and reduce the district’s tax rate from $8.48 per $1,000 of property valuation to $8.23, Superintendent Thomas Ward said at last week’s meeting.

Since the last budget vote, Ward said, the board had the opportunity to make reductions to programs that don’t affect students directly.

The New Sharon board of selectmen last week issued a news release saying the town still opposes the budget.

“Although RSU 9 has reduced its initial overall increase from 1.2 million to just over 1 million, any increase to New Sharon residents will negatively impact the quality of life for our residents,” the release said. “The current proposed budget represents more than a 13 percent budget increase (which may be reduced with State funding to just over 8 percent) for New Sharon residents. The Board has not changed its opinion that this will be too much to ask of our residents and will unfavorably impact the quality of life for local families and the elderly.”

If the budget passes Tuesday, the increases in the 10 towns will be $72,437 for Chesterville, $316,305 for Farmington, $61,775 for Industry, $73,896 for New Sharon, $63,004 for New Vineyard, $29,163 for Starks, $30,903 for Temple, $60,833 for Vienna, $189,350 for Wilton and $43,217 for Weld.

Polling times and places: Farmington, noon to 6:30 p.m., Community Center; Chesterville, 1 to 6 p.m., Town Office; Industry, 2 to 8 p.m., Town Office; New Sharon, 1 to 6:30 p.m., Town Office; New Vineyard, 3 to 8 p.m., Smith Hall; Starks, 2 to 8 p.m., Community Center; Temple, 2 to 7 p.m., Town Hall; Vienna, 3 to 8 p.m., Fire Station, Weld, 4 to 8 p.m., Town Office; Wilton, 1 to 7 p.m. Town Office.

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