By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — The 2013-14 school budget for RSU 29 narrowly passed at the polls Tuesday, albeit by a slim margin.
The $12,669,258 spending plan passed by a vote 124-103. Voter turnout was extremely low Tuesday in the four member communities of Houlton, Hammond, Littleton and Monticello, with just 227 people casting a ballot.
There are about 5,125 registered voter in the district, therefore, only 4.4 percent of those registered to vote participated in the election. There are 3,843 registered voters in Houlton; 665 in Littleton; 552 in Monticello; and 65 in Hammond.
Broken down by community, only 2.3 percent of the registered voters came out in Littleton; Monticello had 6.2 percent; 4.4 percent in Houlton; and Hammond had the best percentage at 13.8 percent.
RSU 29 Superintendent Mike Hammer said he was disappointed by the turnout, but pleased with the bottom line.
“I am disappointed that more people wouldn’t come out and voice their support for their schools based on their vote,” Hammer said. “Fred (Grant, finance committee chairman) and the finance committee with the administrative team did a great job putting a budget together in very difficult times that came in at last year’s figures.”
Hammer said perhaps the low turnout could be interpreted as the public having faith the budget would pass and therefore did not feel the need to go to the polls to cast their ballots.
“We had great questions at the budget meeting and I feel confident in the board’s decisions,” he added.
The spending plan passed in all four communities.
In Houlton, the budget passed 87 in favor and 82 opposed, while in Littleton the vote was 8-7; Monticello voted 22-12; and Hammond voted 8-7.
A second ballot question, asked voters if they wished to continue with deciding on the budget in a referendum format. That question passed 152-74.
The 2013-14 district budget of $12,669,258 is an increase of $170,014 (1.36 percent) over the previous year. The state is giving the district more funds than last year, but also seeks an increase in the required local amount to be raised from taxes in order to get those funds. The state is giving the district $8,718,391 next year, which is an increase of $182,264. However, in order to get those funds the required local share, as mandated by the state, for RSU 29 will be $3,206,694. That amount is an increase of $256,810 over last year’s figure.
RSU 29’s spending plan includes the cost of paying for the teacher retirements at the local level, which was proposed by the Maine Legislature. If the state decides not to require 100 percent of the retirement to be paid at the local level, RSU 29 will see some savings. But that savings will go to the district’s undesignated fund balance.
