PORTLAND – Budget problems that led to the resignation of school Superintendent Mary Jo O’Connor continue in Maine’s largest city.

The Portland school district, which is trying to cut costs to make up for a $2 million deficit in last year’s budget, has learned that the new teachers’ contract will cost taxpayers $470,000 more than budgeted this year.

The contract offers pay increases for a wider variety of professional development and also pays for three college courses per teacher per year.

Union leaders said many teachers jumped at the chance to take college courses and boost their salaries, in part because they worried that this year’s budget troubles would jeopardize the future of the new salary schedule.