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The towns of Topsham, Harpswell, Bowdoin and Bowdoinham will pay roughly $3 million more into School Administrative District 75 this upcoming fiscal year than in the previous year if the budget passes in June.

The school board approved a $61.2 million budget at its meeting Thursday night, reduced from $61.4 million throughout deliberations. The updated number reflects about a 5.7% increase in spending from the previous year.

If voters in the four towns approve the budget in June, it will cause taxes to increase by roughly 9% in Topsham, 6% in Harpswell, nearly 10% in Bowdoinham and by just under 11% in Bowdoin.

The newest version of the budget accounts for savings in health, property and liability insurance, which came in lower than originally budgeted, district business manager Evan Howard explained at Thursday’s meeting. The board also saw savings in the amount the schools will pay into Merrymeeting Adult Education this year.

The biggest cost increases this year were to cover staff salaries and health insurance, Superintendent Heidi O’Leary said in March.

Costs associated with regular instruction and special education, which include most staff, took up the biggest chunks of the budget, comprising more than half of district spending. The district also has a high need for specialized services — 25% of students in the district receive special education services, above the state average of 20.4%.

Student and staff support, facilities and maintenance, debt services, transportation, and administration took up smaller percentages of the budget. Among the changes made this year, the district plans on hiring two nurses and investing $250,000 to begin outfitting district buildings with cameras and security systems.

There are still opportunities for the public to share their thoughts on the budget. There will be a district budget meeting on the evening of May 21, then voters will have the final say on the budget in a June 9 referendum.

Katie covers Brunswick, Bath and Freeport for the Times Record. She was previously the weekend reporter at the Portland Press Herald and is originally from the Hudson Valley region of upstate New York....

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