Voter turnout for next year’s school budget was poor in both the RSU 29 and SAD 70 communities last Tuesday.
In RSU 29, turnout was sparse as less than 6 percent of the registered voters cast ballots on a $12,874,885 budget, which is an increase of $124,489 (0.97 percent) over last year. The budget passed 195-107.
“I am truly thankful that our budget passed,” said Superintendent Mike Hammer. “I am however concerned with the turnout. Only 302 people voted on a $12.8 million school budget that supports the future of the area.”
The district made an effort to remind parents of those who have children in the school district through the “Alert Now” phone system, but even with that, voter turnout was low.
The votes by community are as follows: Monticello, 15 in favor, 19 opposed; Houlton, 162 yes, 69 no; Hammond, 3 in favor, 5 opposed; and Littleton, 17 yes, 14 no.
In SAD 70, the $6,502,765 budget for 2015-16 school year narrowly passed by a vote of 52-36 in one of the closest votes for the district in recent memory. The communities of Linneus and Cary rejected the budget, but enough votes were cast in the other communities for the budget as a whole to pass.
The following is a breakdown of the votes by community: Cary, 1 in favor, 4 opposed; Hodgdon, 17 yes, 8 no; Linneus, 10 in favor, 12 opposed; New Limerick, 7 yes, 6 no; Ludlow, 5 in favor, 4 opposed; Haynesville, 2 yes, 2 no; Amity, 10 in favor, none opposed.
How thes budget impacts the local communities, not including costs for adult education, is as follows: Amity, $153,671, an increase of $6,720 (4.6 percent); Cary Plantation, $126,360, up $4,818 (4.0 percent); Haynesville, $104,147, an increase of $5,656 (5.7 percent); Hodgdon, $630,345, up $25,517 (4.2 percent); Linneus, $687,875, an increase of $30,920 (4.7 percent); Ludlow, $255,452, up $10,534 (4.3 percent); and New Limerick, $762,055, a decrease of $884 (0.1 percent).
Amity has 30 students; Cary, 19; Haynesville, 13; Hodgdon, 200; Linneus, 120; Ludlow, 28; and New Limerick, 30.
