NEWPORT – Newport selectmen unanimously voted Wednesday night to put a citizens petition on the March town meeting warrant, citing the need for discussion. The petition seeks a local tax cap.

The petition had been presented last week to town officials by Robert Goulette, who also has submitted his nomination papers for a selectman’s seat.

Goulette is a member of the Committee for Reasonable Taxation, which sponsored the tax cap initiative.

The petition calls for the town to adopt a town and school budget policy of capping increases in the town’s annual appropriations and the local school assessments to no more than the current rate of inflation, about 3 percent.

Almost immediately, however, questions were raised about the validity of the petition because wording on the petition itself was different than on the affidavits filed by Goulette as the circulator.

Town Manager James Ricker told the selectmen Wednesday night that the town’s attorney said the wording on the petitions themselves is what should be used on the town warrant, since that was the intent of the 210 people that signed the papers.

He also cautioned the board that the town has no authority to set a cap on school spending.

Ricker said 199 signatures had been certified and Goulette needed only 80.

“We need the opportunity to discuss this issue,” said Chairman Al Worden. Referring to the fifth failed school referendum vote this week, Worden added, “The citizens of all the towns in SAD 48 are using their votes to voice their opinion.”

The petition, which also has been submitted to Hartland and Palmyra, is part of a separate effort by the Committee for Reasonable Taxation, which has previously concentrated its efforts on school spending and has now shifted to include municipal spending.

“We had been criticized by school board members for singling them out for review and not taking a look at the municipalities,” said Goulette before the meeting.

Goulette said that he was running for selectman “because I’ve been involved in politics since I was 17.” He has not previously held an elected office, however, but rather served on several budget committees in New Hampshire.

Goulette, 63, is disabled and a former police officer for 25 years. He said he has lived in Maine for three years.

In other business, the selectmen:

. Held a public hearing on a new road opening and curb cut ordinance.

. Awarded a victualer’s license to Jeanette Babin of The Snack Shack, who will operate a mobile restaurant at the head of the snowmobile track on Route 2 to serve the snowmobile and ATV traffic.

. Set 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, as the date for the 2004 Budget Committee Meeting.