The proposed 2008-2009 Gorham school budget is $30.3 million, up $1.6 million over last year’s $28.7 million, an increase of 5.6 percent.

Superintendent Ted Sharp presented his budget to the School Committee in a workshop Saturday. In Sharp’s proposed budget, salaries and benefits rose $922,713 higher than last year, the bulk of the budget increase.

“This is a bare bones budget, bare bones,” School Committee Chairman Jim Hager said Tuesday. “Anything less will result in serious decisions to be made.”

Under the proposed budget, calculated on state subsidy figures released on March 7, Gorham’s local share of supporting education would increase to $13.6 million from $12.7 million. The local share, including adult education, to be raised in Gorham would increase $867,953.

The proposed budget would add an extra 58 cents to last year’s $10.46 per $1,000 of valuation to pay the town’s share of education costs. Taxes on a $250,000 home would increase $145.

Hager said the proposed budget was compiled by Sharp and school Leighton O’Connor, business manager, based on preliminary state subsidy figures. The preliminary general purpose aid figure used for Gorham’s budget is up $793,953 or 4.5 percent, from $14.3 million to $15.1 million.

However, Hager said, the state’s figures changed four times last week, and he is uncertain what the final figure would be.

“This year was the hardest budget to put together,” said Hager, serving his third term on the School Committee.

Hager hopes to have a permanent number from the state before presenting the school budget to the town.

After salaries and benefits, the second highest increase is $171,300 for classroom and other building modifications at the Village and Narragansett elementary schools. The expenditure is in anticipation of a shift to three elementary schools for Grades K-5. A new school would replace the overcrowded one in White Rock, which now has students in kindergarten only through Grade 2.

A $155,988 rise in energy costs, which is up 10 percent, is the third highest increase in the budget.

While the school budget is rising, Gorham school enrollment is projected to drop 28 students to 2,685 on Oct. 1.

The School Committee is tentatively set to approve its budget on April 30 and deliver it to Town Manager David Cole on May 7.

Under the present state rules, the budget will require approval by the Town Council, which would then send it to town voters in a referendum required under the state’s school consolidation law.

Cole said plans in Gorham are to go to referendum on June 10. “But all that could change depending on what the Legislature does or doesn’t do,” Cole said.

Rep. Chris Barstow, D-Gorham, said a referendum would have to take place within 10 days after council approval of the town’s school budget. But, Barstow said, municipal clerks have complained because of the tight time frame to have ballots printed.

Barstow said pending legislation could extend it from 10 to 45 days or even delay the requirement for a referendum for a year.

Last year, the Gorham Town Council trimmed the school depatment budget by $627,000, from a requested $29.4 million to $28.7 million, a 3.9 percent jump over the previous year. But no one lost a job.

Burleigh Loveitt, chairman of the Gorham Town Council, said Wednesday he hadn’t seen the proposed school budget. “I understand the superintendent is doing everything possible to be conservative in their spending,” Loveitt said.

Loveitt didn’t predict what action the council would take, but thought its decision would be impacted by the state’s education allocation for Gorham.

“We all recognize this is not a year for tax increases,” Loveitt said. “I don’t see any room in the tax rate in Gorham.”

Former Town Councilor Phil Dugas, 78, said he worries tax increases would contribute to the “beating” seniors are taking now with escalating prices of fuel and food.

“I’m sure the present council will take the elderly into consideration,” said Dugas, a retired educator and former Gorham High School principal.

One resident who spoke out against a tax increase at a budget hearing last year, Joe Daniels of Page Drive, said he continued to be opposed to a tax increase this year. He said he hoped other residents would also oppose an increase.

“My answer is no. I’ve had enough,” said Daniels, whose son is a teacher in York. “I’m going to oppose any increase.”