Mainers across the state will vote Tuesday on education spending for the next 12 months.

Some local budget proposals would add new teachers and staff. Others would force layoffs. And nearly all would mean larger tax property bills.

But one common factor in every budget proposal is a lack of certainty about state funding. That’s because the Maine Legislature has yet to decide on how much education funding will be made available in the next two-year state budget, and how those dollars will be distributed.

That’s not uncommon. Every two years, towns are forced to finalize their school budgets while the Legislature is still debating the details of school funding.

This year, however, a partisan battle over future of education funding generated by a voter-approved 3 percent tax surcharge is at the heart of a threatened veto of the entire state budget. The tax surcharge will not result in additional education funds until next year, but the fight over whether to eliminate or preserve the surcharge means the entire budget – and education funding levels for this year – likely won’t be decided until the end of this month.

In the meantime, most districts are moving forward based on the amount of funding in Gov. Paul LePage’s initial budget proposal, with the expectation that they will make adjustments this summer after the state budget is settled. Some districts are seeking voter authorization Tuesday to make future budget adjustments without another referendum, while others will have a second vote this summer or will put any additional money aside for next year’s budget.

State law requires that local voters approve education spending, which is why school budgets go to referendum votes and most municipal budgets do not. Some communities also will have additional referendum votes, including a few votes on municipal budgets or major construction projects.

This year, all Maine communities also will be voting on a $50 million state bond proposal to stimulate research and development of new technology.

Here is a look at local ballot issues in southern Maine and the midcoast:

SAD 15

Gray and New Gloucester residents will vote on a $25.6 million school budget for 2017-18.

The school spending plan for School Administrative District 15 is up $967,350, or nearly 4 percent, over the current budget.

That increase reflects an expected reduction of more than $254,000 in state funding, as well as the rising costs of health care and retirement obligations. As a result, the district cut five teachers from its staff – a high school science teacher, a middle school physical education teacher, an outdoor educator and two elementary Spanish teachers. A small number of positions were eliminated through attrition, or the employee was transferred to a vacant job in the district.

For Gray residents, education spending alone would increase the property tax rate by an estimated 78 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That would add $156 to the annual tax bill on a $200,000 home.

The ballot in Gray also includes an $8.1 million municipal budget, which is more than $957,000 or 13 percent higher than last year. With the combined school and town spending next year, the overall property tax rate would increase by $1.05 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For a $200,000 home, that translates to an extra $210 on the tax bill.

Gray’s polling place is the gym at the Newbegin Community Center at 22 Main St.

In New Gloucester, education spending alone would add 55 cents $1,000 of assessed property value to the property tax rate. That translates to an extra $110 on the tax bill for a $200,000 home.

Voting takes place at the New Gloucester fire station at 611 Lewiston Road.

Polls in both towns are open from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.

For more information, go to www.msad15.org.

– Megan Doyle

YARMOUTH

Yarmouth residents will vote on two referendum proposals: a $23.9 million school budget for next year and a $4 million bond for road improvements.

The school spending plan is up $797,163, or 3.45 percent, over the budget for the fiscal year ending June 30.

The majority of that increase would go toward salary and benefits adjustments for current employees. A small portion would pay for technology updates.

The municipal, school and county spending plans for next year add up to $37.7 million. That would increase the property tax rate by 31 cents, or 1.8 percent, from $17.06 to $17.37 per $1,000 of assessed property value. At that rate, the annual tax bill on a $200,000 home would increase $62, from $3,412 to $3,474.

Voters adopted the municipal and school spending plans at town meeting Tuesday, and next week’s referendum is the second vote required to validate the school portion.

Also on the June 13 ballot is a $4 million bond for road improvements. Town Manager Nathaniel Tupper said half the bond would go toward major improvements on Hillside Street, and the rest would be divided between undetermined road projects. Construction would not take place until 2018.

Yarmouth residents vote at the AMVETS Hall at 148 North Road. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information on the school budget, go to www.yarmouthschools.org/business-office.

– Megan Doyle

SAD 6

Residents of the five towns in School Administrative District 6 will vote Tuesday on a proposed $48.6 million budget.

The “Bonny Eagle” district includes Buxton, Frye Island, Hollis, Limington and Standish.

The spending plan for next year is up 1 percent, or just over $482,000, from the current budget.

New expenses in the 2017-18 budget would include a dean of students for kindergarten through fifth grade, two new teachers, a Chinese language program at the elementary school level and a handful of capital projects. The district expects to receive $579,100 less than last year in state education subsidy.

The district did not provide a breakdown of the tax rate impact in each town. According to budget materials provided by the district, the average impact in school tax on a property valued at $180,000 would be approximately $50. That translates to an average increase of 28 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value from education spending.

– Megan Doyle

RSU 14

Windham and Raymond residents will vote on a $44.8 million school budget for next year.

The school spending plan for Regional School Unit 14 is up $1.7 million, or 3.99 percent, over the current budget. The majority of that increase would pay for contractual raises and health benefits for employees.

In Windham, the estimated tax from education spending would increase by 73 cents to $10.67 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The tax bill for a $200,000 house would go up $146.

In Raymond, the school portion of the overall property tax rate would be $8.92 per $1,000, or a 29 cent increase. For the owner of a $200,000 home, that would add $58 to the tax bill.

Windham residents will vote at the auxiliary gym in Windham High School at 406 Gray Road. Raymond voters will go to Jordan Small Middle School at 423 Webbs Mills Road. The Raymond ballot will also include an informational, nonbinding question about whether residents would like to explore construction of a new town office.

In both towns, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information on the school budget, go to www.windham.k12.me.us.

– Megan Doyle

WELLS

Wells residents will vote on a $14.2 million plan to replace the town’s aging public safety complex and consolidate three branch fire stations into a new building.

If approved, the new 40,000-square-foot complex will be built on town-owned land directly behind the current building on Route 1. Town officials say the new building and consolidated branch fire station are needed to provide enough space to allow the departments to operate safely.

The public safety building was constructed in the 1960s and was used as a town hall until 1986, when the current town hall was built nearby. The police department, which had been in the basement, took over all 5,300 square feet of the building. In 1985, the fire department built a space adjacent to the building to replace the town’s original station used for horse-drawn firefighting equipment.

Town Manager Jonathan Carter said the police and fire departments need more space, and an engineering study determined it would cost more to renovate the building than to build a new one.

The police department is now far too small for a department with 24 year-round officers and an extra six officers in the summer, Chief Jo-Ann Putnam said. Many spaces serve double duty as offices and storage. The department lacks a dedicated interview room, is not handicap-accessible and has had infestations of rodents and insects.

The proposal before voters also calls for the construction of a new fire substation on land on Route 109 across from Bragdon Road that the town purchased in 2014. That new station would consolidate the High Pine and Wells Branch substations, which will reduce operating costs, Carter said.

The 20-year bond to pay for the project would add to annual tax bills $27.46 per $100,000 of valuation. For a home valued at $250,000, that means an additional $68.65 on the annual tax bill.

Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Wells Junior High School gymnasium at 1470 Post Road.

For more information, go to www.wellstown.org.

– Gillian Graham

SAD 75

Residents of Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Harpswell and Topsham will decide on a $38 million budget proposal.

The proposal represents 1.62 percent increase, or $605,376 more than last year’s budget. Overall, the local costs to the towns will increase by 4.42 percent, although the tax impact varies by town.

Based on local valuations, in Bowdoin, that will mean a $105 annual tax increase for the median home value of $178,000. In Bowdoinham, it means a $120 tax increase for a median home value of $178,000. In Harpswell, it is $27 for a median home value of $425,000, and in Topsham, it’s $114 for a median home value of $182,000.

For more information, visit link75.org.

– Chris Chase, Coastal Journal

SCARBOROUGH

Scarborough voters will go to the polls to decide on a proposed $47.4 million school budget for 2017-18 that’s up nearly $718,000, or 3.4 percent, over current spending.

The town is anticipating a $1.4 million reduction in state education aid in the fiscal year starting July 1 – part of a nearly $5 million, or 70 percent, reduction over the last decade, largely because of its thriving commercial tax base.

The proposed school budget is part of an overall $84.4 million operating budget for municipal, school and county services that would increase overall spending by 4 percent in the fiscal year starting July 1. The larger total includes $1.7 million for cafeteria services and adult education that’s not reflected in the $47.4 million school budget total on Tuesday’s ballot.

Under this combined spending plan, the property tax rate would increase about 56 cents, or 3.49 percent, from $15.92 to $16.48 per $1,000 in property value. The annual tax bill on a $300,000 home would increase $168, from $4,776 to $4,944.

Also on Tuesday, voters will decide whether to authorize borrowing as much as $687,482 to replace the 29-year-old public works fueling station by next year as required by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall.

For more information on the school budget, go to www.scarboroughschools.org.

– Kelley Bouchard

SACO

Saco residents will vote on a $35.5 million education budget.

The proposed budget represents a $1.5 million, or 4.37 percent, over the current budget.

The Saco School Board had approved a $35.7 million budget, but that amount was reduced to $35.5 million by the City Council. The City Council reduced the budget by $75,000 in regular instruction, $81,000 for student and staff support and $44,000 for administration.

The City Council previously approved a $26.6 million city budget. If the school budget is approved Tuesday, the city’s overall tax rate will increase from $19.42 to $19.63. That would add about $42 to the annual tax bill on a $200,000 home.

Saco polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Community Center at 75 Franklin St.

For more information on the school budget, go to www.sacoschools.org.

– Gillian Graham

WESTBROOK

Westbrook voters will decide on a $36.3 million school budget.

The school spending plan for next year is up $1.1 million, or 3.2 percent, over the current year ending June 30.

Superintendent Peter Lancia said the increases in education spending would come from adding to support services such as guidance staff at the middle school, replacing student laptops and capital improvements such as fixing the roof at the Canal School. The budget would add the equivalent of two-and-a-half full-time teaching positions and three ed tech positions.

The combined municipal, school and county spending plan is $64.4 million for the fiscal year starting July 1.

If the school budget is approved and combined with the rest of the city budget, Westbrook’s property tax rate would go from $18.40 per $1,000 of assessed value to $19.34. That’s an increase of more than 5 percent, or 94 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. On a home assessed at $190,000, the annual tax bill would go up by $179. The tax rate increase doesn’t yet include the impact of a $27 million school renovation project. Voters in November approved a bond for a renovation and 12 new classrooms at Saccarappa Elementary School, as well as 12 new classrooms at Westbrook Middle School. City and school officials hope to spread the tax rate impact over multiple years, but it will add up to about 80 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The first year to feel that impact will be fiscal year 2019.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wards 1 and 4 residents vote at the Westbrook Community Center Gym at 426 Bridge St. Wards 2 and 3 residents vote at the Westbrook Armory at 120 Stroudwater St. Ward 5 residents vote at Prides Corner Congregational Church at 235 Pride St.

For more information, go to www.westbrookschools.org.

– Megan Doyle

FALMOUTH

Falmouth voters will consider a 2.5 percent spending increase when they decide on a 2017-18 school budget proposal.

The $35.8 million spending plan is $900,000 higher than the school budget for the year ending June 30, said Town Finance Director Peter McHugh.

The increase nearly mirrors a $939,000 anticipated reduction in state education subsidy.

It’s part of a combined $49.9 million budget for municipal, school and county services that would increase current spending by $1.5 million, or 3.1 percent. The combined budgets would increase the tax rate 76 cents, or 5.1 percent, from $15.09 to $15.85 per $1,000 in property value. At that rate, the annual tax bill on a $300,000 home would increase $228, from $4,527 to $4,755.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the high school.

For more information, go to www.falmouthschools.org.

– Kelley Bouchard

OLD ORCHARD BEACH

Old Orchard Beach residents will vote on a $13.8 million education budget.

The proposed budget is up more than $401,000 over the current budget. The proposed state funding for the district increased by more than $121,000, which was used to offset additional local increases due to lower revenue projections.

If approved, the budget will add $52 to the annual tax bill of a $200,000 home. With the Homestead Exemption increase, the actual impact on a $200,000 home will be $46, or less than $4 per month.

The budget restructures academic programs to raise student achievement, increases safety, provides for maintenance and upgrades to heating and cooling systems, and increases funding for the pre-K program to offset diminishing state subsidies, according to Superintendent John Suttie.

The proposed budget will add a director of instruction, a behavioral specialist, two academic interventionists and a middle school guidance counselor while eliminating a middle school assistance principal and 9.5 full-time educational technicians.

Voting will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Old Orchard Beach High School.

For more information, go to www.rsu23.org.

– Gillian Graham