AUGUSTA — The initial school budget proposed by Augusta administrators is up about $1.5 million, or 5.5 percent, over the current year’s budget and would require 7 percent more money from taxpayers.

If the past is any indication, however, it is unlikely the budget will be approved as proposed, because it will be reviewed by both school board members and city councilors before ultimately going to voters in a June referendum.

Board Chairwoman Kimberly Martin said Superintendent James Anastasio’s “responsibility is to put together a recommended budget, and we’ll be going through those recommendations, looking at needs and priorities. There will be changes. This is my fifth budget on the board, and all of them” changed from the initial budget proposal.

Anastasio and Business Manager Kathy Casparius noted there are numerous unknowns, including the effect of sweeping state budget changes proposed by Gov. Paul LePage in state aid to local schools and ongoing contract negotiations with teachers and three other groups of union-represented employees, which could affect the budget.

There are enough unknowns that administrators included an additional $400,000 in the “Board of Education” line item, roughly quadrupling it to $529,000, so those funds are available to be moved around as needed, or reduced if not.

“There is so much, at this time, that is unknown about the proposed budget,” Anastasio said Tuesday. “All of the revenue numbers are projections, and much of the expenses are too. As the revenues and expenses become more defined, monies in the Board of Education line will be reduced and/or redistributed to the appropriate line item prior to presenting the budget to the City Council.”

He noted the school board is negotiating with four employee unions, which represent teachers, administrators, support staff and custodians. All four of those contracts expire before the next school year.

The $28.6 million proposed budget is up 5.5 percent, or slightly less than $1.5 million, over last year and would require $861,000, or slightly more than 7 percent, more money from local property taxpayers.

It also doubles the amount to be taken from the fund balance account to $1.6 million. Such accounts are made up of funds unspent in previous years and typically used to reserve funds for unanticipated expenses.

Casparius said increases in the budget include more spending on technology, up by $369,000, or 89 percent; money to hire two new middle school teachers, a projected 10 percent increase in insurance costs; increased special education spending, as previously grant-funded programs are now funded locally; and funds for a drafting program, for which officials have not yet been able to find an instructor. In addition, money has been set aside pending the results of contract negotiations and for an additional English-language teacher to help with an increasing population of students whose first language is not English.

She said no staff cuts are included in the budget.

The school board is scheduled to begin its budget deliberations at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the City Council chambers at Augusta City Center, although the session might be rescheduled because of Tuesday’s snowstorm.

Martin said Tuesday board members have not been presented the budget yet by administrators, and their budget process is just starting.

She and Anastasio encouraged residents to stay informed by either coming to school board budget meetings or watching them on TV, as they will be broadcast locally on cable TV on CTV 7. All the meetings are in council chambers at Augusta City Center and are open to the public. Part of one meeting, on Feb. 25, will be dedicated to taking public comment. The budget is also viewable online at the School Department’s website at www.augustaschools.org/fy16_asd_budget_development.php.

“All the meetings are open to the public and will be on TV,” Martin said. “We want to hear what people are thinking.”

Anastasio said the budget is a draft proposal that the school board will review and adjust in February and March before submitting it to the City Council by the end of March.

Once the school board and councilors approve the budget as part of the overall city and school budget, it is expected to go to voters for approval in a referendum vote June 9.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @kedwardskj

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