PITTSFIELD — Two more sessions remain in the initial budget review in SAD 53. The Budget Committee began the review Thursday night. Additional Budget Committee meetings have been scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11.

In the first presentation of the budget, Superintendent Terry McCannell stressed that administrators had already trimmed about $200,000 from the first budget prepared. He also presented a diagram to show the decrease in the budget over two years, pointing out the 15 percent decrease in local costs in education in the 1990-91 budget, and the 3 percent increase represented in the current proposal.

Administrators also pointed out the decrease over the two-year period has been done with less state aid than originally anticipated.

The amount to be raised by taxes in the three-town district, including the cost of adult education, is $2,050,873.10. Breaking that down by town, Detroit will pay 10.39 percent of the budget, or $213,085.72, a reduction of 2 percent from the current budget. With a reduction in the valuation in Detroit, the share of the budget is increased for Burnham and Pittsfield.

Burnham will pay 20.1 percent of the budget and the cost will be $412,225.49, an increase of $29,545 or 8 percent over the current budget.

Pittsfield taxpayers will supply 69.51 percent of the budget or $1,425,561.89, an increase of $60,249.05 or 4 percent over the current budget.

The budget currently under review by the committee totals $6,154,923, an increase of $278,608.70 over the current year. Built into the budget are staff changes and additions, portable-temporary classrooms at the Manson Park School and a minimal increase for the teaching staff in wages or benefits. The administrative staff has “deferred discussion” on salary increases because of the economic climate.