Voters approve school budgets

Portland Press Herald, May 14, 2008

(excerpt) Voters in Portland, South Portland and the towns of SAD 6 approved 2008-09 school budgets on Tuesday in first-time referendums required under the state's new school consolidation law.

In Portland, 65 percent of voters approved $85.5 million in education spending for kindergarten through high school. The vote was 2,311-1,229, with 8.5 percent of the city's 42,000 voters going to the polls.

The tally was much closer in South Portland, where 51 percent of voters approved $39.9 million in K-12 spending. The vote was 753-717, with 9 percent of the city's 18,000 registered voters casting ballots.

SAD 6 residents of Buxton, Frye Island, Hollis, Limington, and Standish ratified a $40.3 million school budget by nearly a 2-1 margin. Each town approved the budget except Frye Island, where the vote was 6-3 against. The overall vote was 761-413, a 7 percent turnout.

In each community, voters were asked to approve or reject the portion of the school budget that is eligible for state aid. The ballot amounts reflected planned spending in 11 areas, including regular instruction, special education, administration and transportation.