Leaders of Portland’s teachers union are asking voters to reject the district’s proposed budget, arguing it is top-heavy with administrators while cutting in-school positions.

After receiving approval from the City Council last week, the $179.3 million budget is slated to go to voters via referendum on June 9. Absentee voting has already begun.

The “vote no” campaign marks a departure from the typical budget process: The union has never called for voters to reject a budget before, as far as Portland Education Association President Kerrie Dowdy knows, and Portland usually supports the budget by wide margins at the polls.

But this year, the union’s executive board is concerned about the retention of several high-level administrative positions — including the two relatively new roles of assistant superintendent of family engagement and chief of schools and academics — while cutting six educational technician positions.

An original version of the budget, proposed in March, included cuts to 20 positions (many of them vacant) amid declining enrollment and a $4 million drop in state funding. Following public comment sessions, the board added back several positions, including a half-time guidance counselor and a half-time Latin teacher.

The Portland City Council unanimously approved the budget last week. At the meeting, Superintendent Ryan Scallon said the district wrestled with difficult tradeoffs and that, “the challenge of this budget is one of managing both fiscal stewardship and experiences and outcomes of our students.”

But Dowdy said the budget does not reflect the day-to-day needs of students, and educators are “unsure if Portland voters are aware of this.” The union’s goal is to spread the word about their rationale before June 9.

“Who loses from the misplaced priorities of this budget?” a flier announcing the union’s position reads. “Students!”

Portland school board Chair Sarah Lentz said Tuesday that the district had to make difficult tradeoffs in the budget because of the reduction in state funding, “none of which anyone wanted.”

“We hope the public will recognize that and see how this budget does align with our strategic priorities,” she said.

Portland hasn’t rejected any of its school budgets in the last 15 years, or possibly ever (Maine began requiring districts to get referendum approval for their budgets in 2007). Support peaked in 2020 at 86.4%, and has been trending downward since then. Last year, the budget passed with 67% of voters in support, and turnout of just over 9%.

But it’s shaping up to be a contentious budget year for districts around the state, due to factors like rising healthcare costs and declining enrollment.

Already, Lewiston and Turner voters have rejected their school budgets, sending them back to school boards to be reworked. South Portland, which will not vote until June 9, has seen an especially difficult budget season involving the closure of a school, the cutting of 80 positions and recall paperwork taken out against the school board’s chair and vice chair.

Portland is also sending 650 absentee ballots back to voters to redo, after realizing the clerk’s office was not following state statute requirements to reject any absentee ballots returned before the council vote on May 18.