Lewiston superintendent outlines FY26 budget increase, referendum set for May 13

Superintendent Jake Langus of Lewiston Public Schools outlined the district—s proposed fiscal 2026 budget and a referendum vote scheduled for May 13, saying the School Committee has approved a 3.44% increase to the local mill rate (about 46¢). "May 13 is the referendum vote," Langus said, and voting will take place at Longley from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Langus said the proposed budget totals roughly $117.1 million, with more than $80 million coming from state subsidy and a local request of about $31.3 million. He said the budget increase is driven largely by personnel costs: "what was important to us in this budget is that we maintain our staff to the best of our ability." The superintendent said wages and benefits account for about 71% of the overall budget and represent about 95% of the requested increase.

Why this matters: the referendum will decide the local share of the FY26 spending plan and influence staffing levels, special-education services and planned capital projects. Langus said the district has reduced its use of carryover fund balance by nearly 37% compared with prior practice to avoid future cliff-like increases in local requests.

Key budget details provided by Langus include a proposed increase to the local mill rate of 3.44% (46¢), a total proposed budget of about $117.1 million, and a local levy request of about $31.3 million. He said district leaders budgeted conservatively for health-insurance costs and noted recent news that next year—s health-care increase will be about 3.3%, below the 10% the district had planned for; that difference will leave some savings the School Committee will consider on April 28 when it reviews recommendations.

Langus highlighted enrollment growth as a major driver of planning. He said Lewiston—s enrollment has topped 6,000 students (he cited 6,070) — the highest in his more than two decades locally — and that the district is planning for continued growth as new housing comes online. He described a district effort to bring high-need students back into Lewiston schools rather than paying tuition to other districts: the program, housed at McMahon in a dedicated wing, was serving about 24 students as of one recent week and the superintendent said the district estimates it previously would have cost roughly $4 million to educate those students elsewhere. He said the district spent about $2 million to stand up that in-district program so far.

Facilities planning was also on display. Langus described the district—s purchase of a building at 287 Main Street about a year ago; the district has spent initial funds for assessment and cleanup and is proposing capital funds to produce a concept plan to convert the former medical-office layout into school-appropriate space. He said the Dingley Building is a possible follow-on renovation if the Main Street work proceeds.

Langus also noted an upcoming transition of Child Development Services (CDS) from the Maine Department of Education to local control; he estimated the district could receive about 100 CDS-aged students and used a planning projection of up to 175 additional students over 24 months if increased early-childhood services prompt families to enroll early. He warned that the FY26 budget is relatively tight and "too narrow to accommodate for anything catastrophic like that" — for example, an unexpected major roof failure.

Process and timeline details Langus provided: the School Committee will present recommendations and vote on April 28; the Lewiston City Council is scheduled to vote May 6; the district will host another town hall on May 12 to answer questions before the May 13 referendum. Langus asked residents to consult the district website for budget information and noted voters will cast ballots at Longley on May 13.

The superintendent closed the presentation by thanking district staff, the School Committee and the City Council for their work on the proposal and encouraging residents to participate in the referendum and the May 12 town hall.