Gorham school officials Tuesday hash over a possible budget cut when the Town Council votes on a budget  June 5.

GORHAM — The School Committee in a special meeting Tuesday braced for an expected Town Council order next week to cut its proposed $39.3 million school spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

The school budget rises $1.7 million, or 4.4 percent, from this year’s $37.6 million.

The extent of any cut the Town Council might mandate remained speculative this week, but the School Committee discussed a variety of measures to meet a reduction order.

“No changes were actually made tonight,” Hollis Cobb, finance officer for the Gorham School District, said after Tuesday’s meeting.

The School Committee last week added $392,000 to the budget in more state subsidy revenue. The School Department was notified on May 18 of the additional state funds.

The extra money reduced the impact on the local tax rate to support education from an increase of $1.55 per $1,000 of a property’s valuation to $1.23.

The proposed budget of Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak calls for a $14.7 million spending plan, up $660,287 or 4.7 per cent from $14.1 million. The proposed budget would increase the tax rate 18 cents per $1,000 of valuation.

The Town Council will hold a public hearing and vote at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, in the municipal center, 75 South St., on the municipal and school budgets.

“We have to do what the Town Council directs us to do,” School Committee Chairman Darryl Wright said Tuesday.

Some residents have called for the Town Council to reduce both the municipal and school budgets. A group of Gorham citizens, if unhappy with Town Council action June 5, says it is armed with a budget recall petition. The group would submit its petition to Town Clerk Laurie Nordfors immediately.

But, the School budget is set for a validation referendum on Tuesday, June 12, one week after the Town Council’s budget vote.

Superintendent Heather Perry this week scheduled coffee chats with the public to explain the school budget. She spoke with parents on May 29 at Aroma Joe’s and she will be at Mister Bagel, 13 New Portland Road, Gorham at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 31, and Tuesday, June 5.

A resident, Jim Means of Beatrice Drive, met May 16 with about 35 taxpayers in a get-together sponsored by a Ridgefield Drive homeowners association. Means said the school budget represents two-thirds of the local tax bill and he advocated a no vote on the school budget.

The additional state money for education eases a projected tax hike. “With the new proposed school budget and the municipal budget where they now stand that would mean an overall mil rate (tax rate) increase of $1.46 or 8.5 per cent,” Perry said.

Robert Lowell can be reached at 854-2577 or [email protected].