The $38.1 million proposed budget for Regional School Unit 14 would cut nine positions and raise the tax rate in Windham but not in Raymond.

The 2011-2012 budget will be the subject of a public forum at 6:30 tonight at Raymond Elementary School.

The proposed budget, which Superintendent Sandy Prince presented to the district’s board of directors last month, represents a 3.1 percent increase over the current year’s $36.9 million budget.

Still, Prince said, it’s lower than the budget in 2009-2010 — the first year Windham and Raymond schools combined into one district under the state’s school consolidation law.

During the past two years, he said, the district has eliminated 57 positions. Prince is proposing to cut the equivalent of about nine positions next year.

Those positions include a middle school computer teacher and a high school family consumer science instructor, who teaches sewing, cooking and health. The district won’t receive the Title 1 funds that paid for six educational technicians, so their positions would be cut.

Also, the contract for former Raymond Superintendent Sandra Caldwell expires at the end of this year. Under the school consolidation law, the new district had to honor her contract, and she became the part-time director of teacher and program development. Not paying her salary and benefits would save the district $90,500, said Assistant Superintendent Donn Davis.

The district also will save money on raises and step increases for teachers, who agreed to forgo both in a new three-year contract negotiated last month, Davis said. Under the contract, teachers will receive a 2 percent cost-of-living increase.

Prince said he agreed to talk to the teachers union next year about creating a performance-based salary scale.

If Prince’s proposed budget passes, Windham residents would pay 6 percent more in taxes than they’re paying this year to support schools.

That means the property tax bill for the owner of $200,000 home would increase by $93.

Raymond residents would pay the same as this year. Davis said several factors, including changes in assessed valuation, determine how the school budget affects each town’s tax rate.

The RSU 14 board is expected to vote on the budget April 13. Residents will vote on each line of the budget at a public meeting on June 1 and then on the total budget at a referendum June 14.

Staff Writer Leslie Bridgers can be contacted at 791-6364 or at: lbridgers@mainetoday.com

 

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