MONMOUTH — Residents of Regional School Unit 2 gave their approval Wednesday to the proposed $32.6 million spending plan for the 2026-27 school year, sending the final budget to the June 9 referendum.

Monmouth Academy’s gymnasium, where the meeting was held, was lively, with about 150 voters from across the four-municipality district packed onto the basketball court. Hall-Dale High School and Monmouth Academy, the district’s two high schools, alternate hosting the annual budget meeting.

Just like a town meeting, this budget review allows residents to have direct say on particular budget articles, including offering amendments. But this year, no amendments were offered and each of the 19 articles were approved. Almost all were unanimous, and only two residents offered comments.

The budget, which was previously endorsed by the school board, calls for $32.6 million in spending, with about $17 million in local taxes, up about 2% from the current year. RSU 2’s draft budget originally projected a $580,000 increase to local taxpayers, but the final number was lowered to about $325,000.

On top of the regular operating budget, voters approved $600,000 from a reserve fund to rebuild the track at Hall-Dale High School, which Hallowell board member Chris Myers Asch described as “awful” in a budget presentation this spring. Another $75,000 was allocated for the rebuilding.

If the budget is approved in June, Farmingdale and Monmouth would see the largest increases in taxes, at 2.89% and 2.32%, respectively. Dresden, the district’s smallest municipality, would see a 2.09% increase.

Because Hallowell’s property values are growing at a slower pace than the rest of the district, the city is assuming less of the taxpayer burden, with just a 0.32% increase to local taxpayer contributions.

RSU 2’s board has limited major increases to the taxpayer funded portion of the budget in the past two years, following the exit of Richmond from the district in 2023, which forced other towns to absorb more costs.