Although Cape Elizabeth schools will likely receive an additional $450,000 from the state this year, the school superintendent was looking for places to trim the budget this week.

Cape Superintendent Alan Hawkins was make the final adjustments to his budget this week as he prepared to present it to School Board. Hawkins will make his budget presentation over the course of two public meetings.

One on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. will focus on athletics, technology and professional development, and a second meeting on Saturday, March 4, at 8:30 a.m. will focus on the budgets for each of the individual schools, community services and special education. Hawkins said members of the public are welcome at both meetings.

members Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. at the high school library. Hawkins said members of the public are welcome to attend.

Cape Elizabeth is expected to receive an extra $448,639 in state aid to education this year. However, Cape Superintendent Alan Hawkins said that money will go to property tax relief under a spending cap adopted by the town last year, leaving the school looking for budget cuts.

“Any money that comes into us goes directly to the town and then to the citizens. From the bottom line to the taxpayers, it decreases their burden,” said Hawkins.

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council invoked a spending cap last year based on the Consumer Price Index average. Based on the Consumer Price Index for 2005-2006, Hawkins can increase his budget by 3.4 percent.

Hawkins said the increase in spending is still not enough to maintain the school system. Within the next week, he is finalizing cuts to budget lines and will present the school budget Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. in the Cape Elizabeth Town Hall.

Cape Town Council Chairman David Backer said the property tax relief offered by the increase in state funding is a start, albeit a small one. The extra $488,639 is pennies to an individual tax payer, but Backer said there is no big-ticket item that can be counted on to reduce the property tax burden. Tax relief starts small. “It’s all the little things put together that add up to something substantial,” he said.