Gorham schools will receive an additional $549,616 in subsidy (total of $735,683) as a result of the budget passed by the State Legislature on July 3. Although towns had the option of using some of these funds to increase their school budgets, the Gorham Town Council had previously voted to use all of the money to reduce property taxes.

“With these additional monies,” Superintendent Heather Perry said, “the schools’ impact on the local mil rate will drop from what was anticipated to be an increase of 67 cents to now just 32 cents.”

Nearly half of the State’s school districts saw subsidy increases of $40,000 or less. Some larger districts with more administration and students with special needs, or living in poverty, saw larger increases.