SOUTH PORTLAND — Superintendent Ken Kunin presented a 2016-17 school budget proposal to the School Board on Monday night that would increase education spending by $1.7 million and add 31 cents to the property tax rate.

The $47.8 million proposal is 3.7 percent higher than the current $46.1 million budget for 2015-16, which ends June 30, according to Kunin’s presentation.

Major drivers in Kunin’s first budget proposal since he became superintendent last fall include contracted staff salary and benefit increases totaling about $1 million, $7.3 million in state education aid and direction from the City Council to keep the tax rate impact below 3 percent.

“It really is important to keep that tax rate as low as possible,” Kunin said.

The proposed school budget calls for raising $40.3 million in local property taxes – a $1 million increase, or 2.5 percent, over the current budget, Kunin said.

It would add 31 cents – a 2.7 percent increase – to the current overall tax rate of $11.40 per $1,000 of property value. If that increase is approved, the annual tax bill on a $200,000 home would increase $62 in the coming fiscal year.

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The board reserved discussion of Kunin’s proposal for upcoming budget workshops. After Monday’s meeting, Chairman Dick Matthews called it a “responsible” package.

“It’s looking out for students, teachers and taxpayers,” Matthews said. “But I’m going to be scrutinizing it. I have a couple things I have questions about.”

Matthews declined to elaborate on his concerns before Kunin and other administrators have an opportunity to answer questions during workshop sessions.

NO JOB CUTS, COACHES RESTORED

Kunin’s proposal calls for adding three teachers and five education technicians to address expected enrollment increases at the kindergarten level and among students who have special education needs or are learning to speak English.

While Kunin anticipates no job cuts in the coming school year, he said some staff members may be transferred to different positions to avoid reductions.

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“We’ll work closely with our staff on that,” he told the board.

Kunin also proposed adding 10 coaches with stipends totaling nearly $37,000 for girls’ and boys’ basketball teams at the middle schools and for volleyball, soccer, hockey and cheering teams at the high school.

Jeff Selser, the high school’s girls’ soccer coach, praised Kunin’s plan to restore first-team girls’ and boys’ soccer coaching positions that were cut in the past.

“I’ll have as many as 60 girls going out for soccer next year,” Selser said after the meeting. “Without a first team, in addition to varsity and junior varsity, I’ll be cutting 15 to 20 girls who want to play.”

The cost of additional coaches would be offset by at least $30,000 in projected revenue from the district’s new athletic sponsorship program.

The district also plans to buy a new school bus ($88,000), step up building maintenance ($101,000) and invest in technology ($151,000), Kunin said.

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A WORST-CASE SCENARIO

Kunin’s proposal counts on getting an estimated $7.3 million state education subsidy, which would be $600,000, or 10.5 percent, more than the current subsidy.

It also calls for spending $500,000 of $1.4 million in surplus funds, further reducing an account that has been as high as $1.8 million in recent years.

Kunin said spending that much from surplus would be a “worst-case scenario” because he expects significant savings this year on heating and maintenance costs following a relatively mild winter with little snow. State law allows districts to maintain a surplus equal to 3 percent of the previous year’s budget to ensure financial stability and address emergency costs.

“We actually think we’ll end this year quite well,” Kunin said.

Kunin sent an email to parents Monday afternoon inviting them to attend several budget workshops that begin March 22. A final budget proposal could be approved as early as March 31 and forwarded to the council for consideration.

Budget documents and the workshop schedule will be posted Tuesday on the school department’s website, www.spsd.org.

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CORRECTION: This story was updated at 5:10 p.m. on March 22, 2016, to correct the tax rate to reflect city, rather than school, numbers.


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