Claremont
The board had set out with a goal of keeping any increase to no more than 50 percent of the combined fixed cost increases and reduction of state revenue for the fiscal year beginning July 1, which totaled more than $900,000. The projected drop in non-tax state revenue is about $100,000.
To reach its spending increase goal, the board has about $630,000 in staff reductions, including four full-time positions at the high school and six full-time district wide positions. However, the SAU 6 Director of Business and Finance Mike O’Neill, said the staff cuts likely will come from attrition, not layoffs.
The board also is proposing adding staffing, mostly in special education at the elementary level with a part-time position at the Sugar River Valley Technical Center.
The budget will be presented at a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 2 in the technical center.
If the board elects to make no further changes to the budget, the estimated tax rate impact is 46 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, or an increase of $69 in school taxes on a property assessed at $150,000. O’Neill estimates that the loss of state revenue is equal to about 11 cents of that increase. The board also is projecting the use of $440,000 from the district’s fund balance to offset any tax increase.
Among the unavoidable fixed cost increases for next year are nearly $600,000 in salaries and wages in union contracts that were approved by voters last year. These unions include teachers, maintenance personnel, paraprofessionals and secretaries unions. Other increases include higher costs for health and dental insurance and the state retirement systems for employees, which have a net increase of $93,000, and out-of-district placement and contracted services of about $71,000. The district did realize some savings in retirement and health care expenses.
The proposed warrant, which will not be finalized for the March vote until after the deliberative session in early February, has a couple of other articles that will impact the tax rate if approved by voters. One is for districtwide radios for $250,000; a second is for a fire panel at Disnard Elementary School.
Total proposed spending, including the warrant articles, now stands at $32.3 million with a projected tax rate impact of 90 cents. That includes the 11 cents attributable to the loss of state aid.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
