Brunswick voters to tackle $40M school budget

BRUNSWICK — A $40.1 million budget for fiscal year 2020, reflecting a 5.3 percent hike in spending, goes to a budget validation referendum June 11.

With $13.4 million in non-local revenues subtracted – including $11.1 million in state aid to education, up $1.2 million from last year – $26.8 million is being requested from taxpayers, a 3% increase.

The Town Council on May 13 adopted the complete town budget, which includes school spending. A public hearing was held May 2.

The $41 million budget as originally proposed by school officials April 4 would have increased taxes 4.75%. The Town Council called for it to be reduced.

The June 11 referendum, the next step after the council’s budget adoption, covers only the school portion of the budget.

Of the $2 million spending increase, $831,000 covers wage and benefit hikes.

About $519,000 is for new administrative requests, including a new assistant principal position at Coffin Elementary School, which will move to the new Kate Furbish School in 2020.

There is also funding for a social worker and two Response to Intervention educational technicians, and gradual steps toward restoring funding for classroom books, furniture, supplies and equipment, and technology and athletic equipment and supplies.

The school budget could add 57 cents to Brunswick’s current tax rate of $19.86 per $1,000 of property valuation. Municipal spending would add 36 cents, and the Cumberland County assessment would add 1 cent. the owner of a home assessed at $200,000 would experience a $188 annual increase in their tax bill.

Along with deciding on the budget, voters will also be asked if the spending plan is too high, too low, or where it should be, and whether the budget validation referendum process should be continued for another three years.