VAN BUREN – An effort to cut nearly $180,000 from the SAD 24 budget for 2004-2005 failed Tuesday night, and 45 residents approved the entire budget of $4,160,530.

Residents took about 20 minutes to approve the budget’s 19 articles.

For the ninth year in a row, property tax payers in SAD 24 will not see their local property tax rate rise because of educational costs.

Property taxes again will pay $881,349 of the total education budget. The entire budget is $264,911 less than the present year’s budget.

“There were some questions on several parts of the budget,” Superintendent Clayton Belanger said Thursday. “In the end, voters approved it as it was proposed.

“There was an effort to cut the part of the budget where there is no state participation,” he said. “Some thought we did not need that money.”

Because their state valuation increased by $5.6 million this year, Van Buren residents will see an increase in their share from $644,121 this year to $655,602 next year. Cyr Plantation will see a decrease of $6,681, and Hamlin will see its share drop by $4,800.

According to Belanger, the local mill rate for education has fallen by more than three mills in the past nine years. This year, SAD 24’s mill rate for education is 10.8 mills, which is slightly below the state average of 11.05 mills.

The budget was kept at the same rate despite a loss of $70,000 in state aid.

Like many northern Maine school units, SAD 24 struggles with enrollment losses. Lower enrollments shrink state subsidies.

Belanger said the school district loses as many as 15 to 20 students per year. Present enrollment, kindergarten through grade 12, is about 450 students.

To keep the budget down, SAD 24 directors reduced their teaching staff by 11/2 positions. They cut half a position in music, and a third-grade teaching position, both because of declining enrollments.

They also were able to hold the line despite a 3 percent increase in wages for all employees. That does not include the nearly 7 percent increase in insurance premiums and a 30 to 50 percent increase in the district’s property, casualty and liability insurance.