Voters approved the Brunswick School District’s $36.5 million spending plan on Tuesday.
The proposal passed 779-490, according to results from the town clerk. Two blank ballots were cast.
About 61 percent of voters that came to the polls supported the spending plan.
Only 8 percent, or 1,271, of the town’s 16,733 eligible voters bothered to vote on the referendum. Town Clerk Fran Smith said light turnout on an off year that does not have a primary or other ballot measure is not unusual.
In 2013, a year that also saw no primary ballot with the school validation, only 1,301 voters cast ballots, according to Smith.
Tuesday’s vote to validate the school spending plan approved by the town council marks an end to this year’s budget process.
School expenditures total $36.5 million, of which $23.3 million will be paid for by local taxes, a 2 percent increase over the 2014-15 fiscal year.
The combined school, municipal and county spending plans mean a tax rate of $28.36 per $1,000 of assessed value, a 3.5 percent increase from the 2014-15 fiscal year.
Speaking after the polls at Brunswick Junior High School closed, school board member Rich Ellis said he was “appreciative of the support that we see in our community for our school budgets.”
“Now we get back to work to figure the best way to educate the kids in Brunswick,” Ellis said.
During this year’s budget process, school officials worked with the town council and town manager to come up with a spending increase the council would find palatable. The fact that those discussions occurred before a formal budget request was submitted caused some consternation among members of the school board.
However, Ellis said on Tuesday that engaging the town council sooner in the budget process was a good practice that will likely carry over to next year.
“I think that every year we alter the process a little bit, trying to improve it,” said Ellis.
jswinconeck@timesrecord.com
Light turnout
ONLY 8 PERCENT, or 1,271, of the town’s 16,733 eligible voters bothered to vote on the referendum.
School expenditures total $36.5 million, of which $23.3 million will be paid for by local taxes, a 2 percent increase over the 2014-15 fiscal year.
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