The three communities that make up RSU 21 – Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport – will vote on the $51.5 million education budget for the current fiscal year that began July 1.
Each community will also vote on municipal matters and in primaries for federal, state and county offices.
The $51.57 million spending plan is up by $1.4 million from the current year, budget documents show, but had been about $771,000 more until a bottom-line reduction was taken by the RSU 21 School Board on May 11.
As currently presented, the school budget would impact Arundel’s tax rate by about 49.5 cents and Kennebunkport’s by 9.92 cents, according to figures supplied by RSU 21, though those could change pending new municipal, growth added into the mix. Kennebunk’s tax rate increase due to the education budget is 35 cents, the town’s Finance Director Joel Downs projected a week ago. Kennebunk’s tax rate increase is projected at 55 cents, including 18 cents for the municipal spending plan and 2 cents in York County government tax increases.
Kennebunk’s tax rate is $13.75 per $1,000 of assessed value. In Arundel, the mil rate is $16.30 and in Kennebunkport, $9.45.
In Arundel, voters will cast ballots on local and state races 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Mildred L. Day School gymnasium on July 14, and convene there at 7 p.m. on Jul 15 for the annual town meeting, where voters will decide on the municipal budget and on a number of land use ordinances.
Incumbent Thomas Danylik is unopposed for a three-year term on the Arundel Board of Selectmen and Kenneth Levesque is unopposed for a three-year year term as RSU 21 director.
There are two, two-year vacancies on the Arundel Budget Board; Theo Rohrs is unopposed for one of them and there is no second candidate. There are no candidates for two, three-year budget board terms.
Incumbent Henry Ingwersen is unopposed in the Democratic primary for House District 10, as is Republican Wayne Parry.
Incumbent Susan Deschambeault is unopposed in the Democratic primary for Senate District 32, as is Republican Robert Daigle. They are also on the primary ballot in neighboring Kennebunkport, which is also a part of Senate District 32.
In Kennebunk, voters will cast ballots on $9.8 million of the $16.24 million in municipal gross operating, capital and TIF budgets to be raised through taxes, and also cast ballots on a number of bonding and other referendum questions.
In House District 8, incumbent Chris Babbidge is unopposed in the Democratic primary; in the GOP primary, Todd DiFede and Bradley Scott Ducharme are looking for the nod to challenge Babbidge in November.
Both Republican Michael Pardue and Democrat Joseph Rafferty are unopposed in their bids for their party’s primary endorsements for the open Senate District 34 seat.
In Kennebunk, polls are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town hall auditorium.
One state race includes both Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.
In House District 9, which includes part of Kennebunk and Biddeford and all of Kennebunkport, Democrats Traci Gere and Gia Drew will face off in the primary, with the winner going up against Republican Stedman Seavey in the November contest for the open seat.
In Kennebunkport municipal voting, Edward Hutchins is unopposed for a three-year term as selectman, and Louis Braxton is unopposed for a three-year term as RSU 21 director.
In Kennebunkport, voting will be conducted 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 14 at Consolidated School; the annual town meeting is set for 9 a.m. July 18 at the school.
Each of the federal state and county candidates, and the state bond questions, are on the ballot in all three communities:
Incumbent Chellie Pingree is unopposed on the Democratic ballot for U.S. Congress and Jay T. Allen is unopposed in his bid for the Republican primary nod.
There is a three-way race in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate: Sara Gideon, Elizabeth “Betsy” Sweet and Bre Kidman are all vying for the chance to challenge Republican Susan Collins in November.
Voters will also decide two state referendum questions.
The first asks voters to approve a $15 million bond for high speed internet in unserved and underserved areas, as a match for up to $30 million in federal, private or other funds. The second asks voters to approve a $105 million transportation bond, to be used as a match an estimated $275 million in federal and other funds.
Incumbent Scott Houde is unopposed in the Democratic primary for York County Judge of Probate. There is no Republican candidate.
Incumbent Carol Lovejoy is unopposed in her bid for the Republican nod. There is no Democratic candidate.
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