Cuts in state school subsidies added to a hike in transportation costs have pushed the proposed South Bristol School budget up by 2.5 percent ($41,037).
In figures approved by the combined school board and town budget committee, local costs for the tiny school will be $1.6 million.
The budget included funds to maintain teacher numbers at this year’s levels for the school system that educates just 61 elementary school pupils and sends 40 high school students to Lincoln Academy.
The figures do not become final until approved by the voters at a town meeting scheduled for March 9.
Proposed budget hikes did not escape sharp questions from budget committee member Charles “Chuck” Plummer, who chided officials on the increase in light of the current state and national financial crisis.
“[Some] people think the longer you stay [in a job] you get an [annual] raise. Not every one does. Not fishermen, not boat builders, not at Betsy’s Store. A lot of people in the state are not getting a raise,” he said.
Central Lincoln County School system Supt. Robert Bouchard said state subsidies have been slashed by 25 percent. However, because the South Bristol school system receives just 1.9 percent of their budget from the state, the cuts amount to just about $19,000.
One of the biggest hikes in this year’s budget is linked to the bright yellow school busses that transport the children.
A recently signed five year transportation contract with First Student, will hike costs by 15 percent over five years.
Bouchard said the former contract, which expires this year, was lower because the bus company mistakenly did not include fuel costs in their final figure.
This is why this year’s transportation costs are jumping 21.3 percent.
This year, the district spent $59,189 for bus transportation and was required to budget $70,110 for next year. In the fifth year, of the five-year contract, annual bus costs will jump to $81,000, Bouchard said.
