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School budget sent to voters after council trims municipal exposure
Summary
Council sent the Lisbon Falls School Department’s FY2027 budget to referendum after adopting municipal budget amendments; school leaders urged investment in education while residents argued both for and against the increase at the public hearing.
Council voted to send the proposed school budget to the voters rather than absorb the full school-side tax impacts on the municipal side. The school committee had recommended a total operating budget and additional local funds; councilors repeatedly noted that state revenue-sharing declines forced the local share higher this year.
School committee chair Margaret Gallagher Schmoll urged the council to consider student needs and co-curricular programming: “These children deserve it,” she said during public comment. Other residents signaled willingness to accept modest increases to maintain educational services; the council recorded several roll-call votes on individual school budget articles during the meeting and later approved articles for referendum submission.
