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Budget committee sets November schedule; members briefed on property-tax-cap ballot question for school central office spending
Summary
Committee will begin meetings Nov. 5 to review department spreadsheets. Staff summarized a proposed voter ballot to cap school administrative spending tied to inflation and new construction; the cap would apply to school central office lines only and requires voter thresholds to take effect.
The assistant director said department spreadsheets will be provided to department heads so they can work through August and meet with staff in September to prepare final requests for the select board and the budget committee. "We will start meeting Thursday, November 5," the assistant director said, and urged committee members to attend in person when possible because remote attendees cannot vote.
The assistant director summarized a proposed property-tax-cap ballot question that would limit school administrative (central office) spending growth to a rate based on consumer inflation plus new construction additions to the tax base. She said the measure would appear on November ballots for each local jurisdiction and — if passed — would limit the SAU central office to a maximum of 6% of total appropriations; classroom instruction and most school-based services would be excluded. The assistant director warned passage would require local steps and voter support and said the committee will provide more information as the question draws nearer.
