The Gorham School Committee approved a $48,105,345 budget for FY23 on April 13. This represents an 8.46% increase over the previous year and is $3.8 million over the $44.3 million FY22 budget.
As proposed, it would increase in the mil rate $1.19, from $12.63 to $13.82 per $1000 valuation. The taxes for a $300,000 house would increase $357.
Superintendent Heather Perry’s initial budget would have raised taxes 21.7% over the current FY22 budget. This budget was a starting point for discussion between the administration and the School Committee (SC).
The District Leadership Team (DLT) prepared the budget to include expenditures for educational services that professionals believe would best serve Gorham students, keeping in mind the need to defend these requests.
The SC spent two months working to reach a balance between what the DLT proposed and what the members believe the Town Council would approve and taxpayers would support.
As part of the process, the SC went over every expenditure in the proposed budget, and the DLT submitted a priority list of possible reductions that they believed would have the least effect on quality education.
But some costs could not be reduced. Wages and benefits account for 76% of the budget and include $1.3 million for contractual increases for current staff. Insurance premiums are to increase 8%.
Gorham spends less per pupil than any of thirteen districts in Cumberland Country and the SC approached the budget with that efficiency in mind.
Perry proposed using federal monies to fund two teachers and some capital improvements, although these were COVID relief funds that will not be available next year.
Not purchasing 2nd grade iPads was among the reductions. They postponed buying new accounting software for a savings of $130,000.
A Human Relations Director and Transportation Director, new positions, were rejected. Two new World Language teachers requested by Gorham Middle School (GMS) were not funded. They also cut back on some capital improvements.
The SC considered eliminating a teacher from both GHS and GMS, but this would have increased class sizes and at GHS would have made it impossible to offer some courses.
They were reluctant to eliminate one of the district’s three School Resource Officers (SROs). After Chief Chris Sanborn spoke about their positive effect on students, the SC decided to continue funding three with the hope of adding another next year.
The budget as amended passed (5-2, Wright, Gagnon) at the April School Committee meeting. Members spoke about reasons they would or would not vote for it.
Committee Chair Anne Schools said she did not see how they could cut more.
Stewart McCallister commented on the “difficulty of finding ways to bring down the budget without impacting students,” but added that there needs to be a way to slow down growth.
Nicole Hudson felt that essential personnel were added because the district can’t do less than fully fund programs that are meeting real needs.
James Brockman probably spoke for everyone when he said, “This was a significant increase that no one takes lightly.”
Sara Perkins believed they did their best considering COVID, inflation, and supply problems. She suggested, however, that there is a need for more discussion about a better plan for the budget process.
Wright, a long-time SC member, voted against a budget for the first time, largely because he objected to the process. “Early on we should start with a percentage increase and give the DLT an opportunity to meet that number.” He added that the professionals and the School Committee should come together to explore new options for more efficient ways to deliver quality education.
Phil Gagnon, who also did not vote for the budget, said he believed salary increases “were leading into an unsustainable situation,” and that the district was experiencing growth without providing space to accommodate it.
The School Committee will meet with the Town Council at a public workshop on May 10. After the Town Council votes to approve the dollar amount of the budget on June 7, it will go to the voters for referendum on June 14.