by Alex Nuti-de Biasi, Journal-Opinion
Groton, Ryegate, and Wells River may not be voting on a school budget on March 5 town meeting day after all.
School board members indicated during a special meeting last night that they could delay their annual meeting under state legislation if it is enacted later this week as expected.
The bill, which passed the House last week, faces a vote today in the Senate in a session scheduled for 9:30. H.850 will repeal provisions that created a “perverse incentive” for districts to spend more because of a cap on property tax increases.
The bill eliminates a 5% cap on property tax increases school districts would pay the State. The cap allowed districts to load up on spending without further penalties, passing the cost along to other districts. However, so many districts availed themselves of this loophole that (combined with other cost pressures) the statewide property tax for next year stands at 20.5%.
It is unclear how much the new legislation will reduce the statewide property tax.
The bill also allows districts to cancel town meeting votes to recalculate their budgets and schedule a new vote before April 15.
“It is prudent to wait,” said Orange East Supervisory Union Superintendent Randy Gawel last night.
Board members stopped short of officially delaying the annual meeting last night, but said they could vote to do so later this week. BMU (Blue Mountain) Board Chair Angeline Bogie said she was eyeing Monday, April 8 and Tuesday, April 9 as dates for an informational meeting and ballot voting, respectively.
BMU is not the only OESU district currently scheduled to vote on its budget next month. Thetford votes by Australian ballot on March 5. It has an informational meeting scheduled for Feb. 22.
Chronicle staff contributed detail about H.850 to this report.