After a second public hearing on the school budget at its meeting on Monday, May 2, the City Council voted to approve it. Portland voters now will be asked to give final approval to the Portland Public Schools’ budget in a citywide referendum on Tuesday, May 10, 2016. Maine’s School Administrative Reorganization Law requires all school districts to hold elections for approval of their budgets. The budget must be approved by a majority of voters.
The $103.6 million FY17 school budget approved by the council was recommended by the Portland Board of Public Education. The board’s Finance Committee Chair Anna Trevorrow describes the budget package as financially responsible while also remaining true to the priorities of the district. The budget contains about $1.4 million less in state education aid than the district received for the current fiscal year. It would increase expenditures by .8 percent and require a 2 percent tax rate increase. It would add 21 cents to the property tax rate in Portland, or $21 per $100,000 of the assessed value of a Portland home.
Absentee ballots for the May 10 school budget referendum are available in the City Clerk’s office.
Voters will be asked:
1. Do you favor approving the Portland School Budget for the upcoming school year that was adopted at the latest City Council budget meeting?
2. Do you want to continue voting on the school budget for the next three years?
Detailed information about the Portland school budget may be found on the Portland Public Schools website, www.portlandschools.org, under the “Budget” quick link on the homepage.
All qualified residents of the City of Portland are encouraged to vote. All local polling places will be open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Based on their residency, residents must vote at their designated polling place.
District Name of Bldg Street Address
1-1 East End Community School 195 North Street
1-2 Merrill Rehearsal Hall 20 Myrtle Street
1-3 Community Hall Peaks Island
2-1 Reiche School 166 Brackett Street
2-2 Exposition Building 239 Park Avenue
3-1 Woodfords Church 202 Woodford Street
3-2 Italian Heritage Center 40 Westland Avenue
4-1 St. Pius Church 492 Ocean Avenue
4-2 First Baptist Church 360 Canco Road
5-1 Deering High School Gym 370 Stevens Avenue
5-2 Grace Baptist Church Gym 476 Summit Street
For more detailed information about where or how to vote, contact the City Clerk’s office at 874-8677 or visit www.portlandvoters.com.
For more information on the school budget, to the district website, www.portlandschools.org, and click on the "Budget" quick link. Or you can click here.