Alternative budget format proposed for SAD 22

HAMPDEN – Residents representing SAD 22 will be asked June 10 whether they want to adopt an alternative school budget format and voting process that is intended to be clearer and would attract voter interest.

The plan got on town ballots in Hampden, Newburgh and Winterport because members of the MSAD 22 Citizens for an Improved School Budget Voting Process collected more than 500 signatures on a petition to take it to the voters.

The SAD 22 school board voted unanimously against the plan.

The proposed budget format consists of clearly defined and itemized “cost-centers” breaking expenditures into six categories: pre-K-12 instruction, instructional support, leadership, operations, transportation and “other commitments.”

The “alternative budget validation referendum process” would reverse the current method of budget approval, where a district budget meeting is held only if a referendum fails at the polls.

Under the proposed plan, a district meeting would be held first, so those residents in attendance can decide on the budget that will go to referendum for a final vote – or “validation” – three days later.

With the alternative plan, school and municipal officials would collaborate continuously so they would be aware of each other’s financial conditions and understand what the community was able to afford. A preliminary budget would be reviewed in the spring by the school board shortly before the district meeting.

The proposed method stipulates the school budget can only be approved at a referendum, when voters are asked for a yes-or-no vote on the total. Those who vote down the budget would be asked whether they did so because it was too high or too low.

If the referendum fails, another district budget meeting would be held after at least 10 working days to consider a plan that’s been modified by the school board based on the feedback obtained from the referendum.

The process would be repeated until a budget is adopted. If it hasn’t been approved by July 1, the school system would operate on the last proposed budget until a new plan is approved.

If voters adopt the new format and voting process they would be asked to vote again in three years whether they wanted to continue for another three years.

The cost-center summary format would continue whether the budget validation referendum was adopted again.

“The whole process was meant to improve the public’s knowledge about the school budget,” said Jim Rier of the Maine Department of Education, a former member of the State Board of Education, which created the alternative plan several years ago. It subsequently was approved by both the Legislature and former Commissioner of Education J. DukeAlbanese.

People frequently don’t attend public hearings on school budgets and consequently are ill-informed when they vote at a referendum, Rier said.

Citing several concerns, the SAD 22 board of directors recently voted last week not to support the new process.

Chairman Ralph Thompson said having only three days between the meeting and the referendum allows no opportunity for voters to use absentee ballots.

The process “doesn’t leave room for closure,” said Thompson, who is concerned that referenda could be held repeatedly without resolve. Each referendum costs the district $3,000 to $5,000, he said.

Dan Gouvea of Winterport, a vocal proponent of the alternative budget format, said if the process needs to be repeated, it indicates the school board “isn’t being responsive and isn’t hearing the community.”

While the clarified cost-center format “has some merit,” said Superintendent Rick Lyons, the new voting process eliminates local control since the board can’t call a district meeting if the referendum fails.

Public hearings on the proposed $18 million budget, which also will be voted on June 10, and the alternative format and voting method will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, at Newburgh Elementary School; 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, at Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden; and 6 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at Leroy Smith Elementary School in Winterport.