To the editor:
A couple of weeks ago, a front page article in the Aroostook Republican stated that the proposed school budget for RSU 39, which includes Caribou, Limestone and Stockholm, was holding steady at last year’s figure of $18,718,271. If you took that headline at face value, you would assume that they are not asking for a tax increase this year, however, that is not the case.
The article went on to say that Caribou’s contribution to this budget will have to be almost $178,000, which equates to approximately a 1/2 mil increase on your taxes. This is not what I call “holding steady.” When you take the same figure from last year’s budget, put it on the bottom line, work your way up and come up short, and you fill that shortfall by plugging in that amount under the amount that the city will have to fork over, that, even by any other name, is still an increase.
The school board held a public hearing for discussion of the budget at the Caribou Middle School on Wed. May 29, and approximately 200 people attended. Every article of the proposed budget passed overwhelmingly. In past years, voter turnout has been dismal, at best. Approximately 5 percent of Caribou’s voting public has turned out to determine whether or not to spend an amount that makes up approximately 45 percent of Caribou’s total annual budget.
The information that we were given also stated that the RSU 39 average per pupil operating cost is $9,549.11, which apparently is information that the State has given them, however if you divide the projected operating budget of $18,718,271 into the number of students educated which is 1,577, that per pupil cost is actually $11,869.
I don’t understand why more people do not scrutinize this budget the way they do the municipal budget. I am certainly not anti-education; far from it. I just want to make sure that our money is being spent wisely.
Treat this referendum vote on June 11th as importantly as you do a Presidential Election. No matter how you feel about this huge amount of money coming out of your pocket, exercise your right to have your say. Remember, if the voters approve this budget, then your taxes will most likely go up. I don’t believe there is any more to cut on the municipal side, nor should they have to.
It amazes me that people will drive across town to save 2 or 3 cents on a gallon of gas but will not go to the polls to vote on an $18-plus million expenditure! Please vote on June 11.
Paul Theriault
Caribou
