06/26/08
Public hearing on 2008-09 school
budget increase of 6 percent set for July 14
The Town Council hold a public hearing on a $19.9 million proposed school
budget for 2008-09 on Monday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall chamber.
A validation election for the budget adopted that night will be held Tuesday,
July 22.
The council voted 5-2 to set the public hearing and election date at a special
morning meeting June 26. In a second vote, also 5-2, the council set the
amount for the hearing at $19.9 million, which represents a 6-percent increase
in school spending over this fiscal year.
The vote came 16 days after citizens rejected a $19.7 million school spending
plan adopted by the council in May. The validation election, held on June
10, was the first held in Cape Elizabeth under that state's new school
consolidation law, which stipulates local school budgets be validated by
citizen vote.
The 4.6-percent increase in school spending failed at the polls 1,891-1,250.
In a second, advisory question, 1,638 voters, said they believed the proposed
budget was too low, compared to 1,110 who said it was too high.
The "too low" majority convinced most councilors to set the public hearing
for the 6-percent increase recommended by the School Board. The board initially
presented their budget last March, and re-presented the same budget to the
council following the validation vote.
A motion by Councilor Jim Rowe, chairman of the council's Finance Committee,
to set a compromise 5.3-percent school budget increase to hearing failed
among councilors.
"There would have been a time when I would have supported Councilor Rowe's
compromise," said Councilor David Backer. "But that would have been before
the 'vote no - too low' campaign," he said, referring to a citizen movement
supporting the School Board's budget proposal. "I think the obligation now
is to put the 6-percent budget to the voters," Backer said.
Rowe and Councilor Paul McKenney voted against the 6-percent budget, arguing
the resulting 6.7 percent increase in taxes is unsustainable. If similar
tax increases continue, McKenney said, taxes in Cape Elizabeth will double
in the next 10 years. "The spending increase isn't the issue. The tax increase
is the issue in my mind," McKenney said.
Anne Swift-Kayatta, who along with other councilors said she personally felt
6 percent too high, said she believed the June 10 "too low" vote indicated
a "sufficient" mandate for the School Board's recommended budget. Swift-Kayatta
and Backer, along with councilors Cynthia Dill, Sara Lennon and Chairman
Mary Ann Lynch, voted to set the 6-percent budget to public hearing on July
14.
In a separate vote, the council was equally divided on when to set the hearing,
budget adoption and subsequent validation vote. Lennon argued most strongly
for the council to adopt the 6-percent increase budget June 26, with a validation
vote July 10 or 11.
Under the current law, local bodies must hold the validation election within
10 days of budget adoption. The law is unclear as to whether 10 days includes
holidays or weekends, one of several ambiguities that prompted the Legislature
to refine the law effective July 18.
The revised law, as well as the impending Fourth of July holiday, convinced
most councilors to support the town manager's recommendation to wait until
July 14, a regularly scheduled Town Council meeting, to hold the hearing
and to adopt the budget.
"Where it's ambiguous, I would rather error on the side of public notice
and public hearing," said Chairman Lynch. "I think it's important for people
to understand there is an election," she said. Citizens busy with summer
schedules would benefit by having more time to plan for Election Day, and
for absentee voting.
Waiting to hold the election after July 18 also allows the Town to take advantage
revised, simpler language in the validation question, and a clear 14-day
deadline to hold the election after budget adoption, some councilors said.
Councilors Swift-Kayatta, Rowe, Dill, McKenney and Chairman Lynch voted for
the July 14 hearing and July 22 election dates.
A third vote taken by councilors June 26 adds the advisory "too low" or "too
high" question to the ballot. Like the June 10 validation vote, voters will
again be asked whether they believe the school budget, adopted by the council
on July 14, 2008, is too low or too high. That vote was also 5-2, with Lennon
and Lynch opposed.
Absentee ballots will likely be available on July 15, after the school budget
is adopted. Citizens may apply to receive absentee ballots at any time.
Click here to download application
for absentee ballot (pdf)
The July 22 validation ballot will read:
Do you favor approving the Town of Cape Elizabeth school budget for the upcoming
school year that was adopted at the latest school budget meeting of the town
council?
YES ___
NO ___
Advisory Question of Cape Elizabeth School Budget:
The following is a non-binding expression of opinion for the consideration
of the School Board and Town Council.
I find the school budget adopted at the July 14, 2008 Town Council’s
school budget meeting to be:
TOO HIGH _____
TOO LOW _____
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