BRUNSWICK
The Brunswick School Board passed a final draft of the district’s 2016-17 budget which proposes a 2.67 percent tax increase to the town.
Superintendent Paul Perzanoski said the budget is up $1.06 million from last year for a total of just over $37.85 million.
Perzanoski said some costs are down by about 2 percent, however, a 7.7 percent health insurance increase and 4.4 percent rise in salaries have nudged the budget upward.
It was made clear that the 4.4 percent is not attributed to teacher raises but rather changes in staffing. Three education technicians and one psychologist were moved from grant-paid positions into the staffing budget, a move Perzanoski said will save money in the end as the grant-funded positions required retirement funding from the district.
The only position added to the budget this year is one social worker.
Other cost factors include the possible purchase of two new buses and a van, though an alternative option would be to purchase one bus and a van, leaving $43,000 of the proposed $176,230 in the budget to support summer, sports and other programs.
Perzanoski said the facilities costs are up by almost 10 percent and the department is looking forward to completing several projects this year.
Jim Oikle of the finance department said any changes to the budget proposal will be available to the public online within the next few days, but cautioned it’s only a proposal.
“You remember the underwear lady, Inspector 12 — ‘they don’t say Hanes until I say they say Hanes?’ Well, this is still going to be a proposed budget — it won’t say approved until the voters say it’s approved,” Oikle said.
On Thursday, April 28, the school board will present its budget to the town council.
dmcintire@timesrecord.com
Numbers up
• SUPERINTENDENT Paul Perzanoski said the budget is up $1.06 million from last year for a total of just over $37.85 million. A 7.7 percent health insurance increase and 4.4 percent rise in salaries have nudged the budget upward.
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