Staff Writer

Regional School Unit 21, including Arundel, Kennebunkport and Kennebunk, is proposing a $36.5 million budget for fiscal year 2009-2010, but a net decrease to the budget has not been determined for Arundel and Maine School Administrative Districts as the districts consolidate.

Business Administrator Jim Barnes said the state has proposed a $42,000 cut in general purpose aid for the district compared to the current year, but RSU 21 Board of Directors member John Sharood said while the district is anticipating federal stimulus money, without it the cuts to Kennebunk and Arundel are closer to $1 million.  

“In effect [the state] has taken stimulus money and cut their aid by more to make up for it,” Sharood said. 

Following a meeting  Tuesday, Sharood recaculated the impact of the state’s cuts and revised the numbers provided to selectmen.

With a $1 million cut in general purpose aid offset by an estimated $1 million in federal stimulus money, Sharood said the impact on taxes would be a 1 percent increase for Kennebunk and 5 percent decreases to Arundel and Kennebunkport respectively, subject to legislative approval. He said federal stimulus money is not expected to continue for more than three years and will not be replaced by state aid when it expires, further impacting the towns starting in 2012.

“The state is giving us stimulus money – so they say – but I have yet to see a check from anyone and then they’re adjusting the state allocation at the same time. They’re giving with one hand and taking away with another,” Barnes said before Sharood revised his calculations.

State general purpose aid has decreased annually for MSAD 71, and the state has continued shifting cuts in funding to the responsibility of local taxpayers “who they think can afford it,” Barnes said.  

“This negative impact is 100 percent driven by state legislature taking away from what they consider ‘rich York County’ and giving to northern communities,” Sharood said. 

“A lot of people in communities are thinking the budget cuts are because of consolidation, but this isn’t, because what we are doing here it is because of the state cuts,” board member Leia Lowery said.

Sharood said even with a decreased budget, Kennebunk and Arundel will probably see an increase in the mil rate to fund schools. 

“We’re going to be facing a mil rate of 11, Arundel same as last year around 9 or 10 for education and yet we’ve got communities [in the state] facing mil rates of 1 or 2. It is unfair and it is wrong,” Sharood said referring to the amount taxed per $1,000 property value. 

Barnes said the decrease in the budget is aided by the elimination of two custodial positions and one high school teacher due to retirement and Arundel Superintendent “Bump” Hadley that are not going to be replaced. Hadley’s retirement alone eliminates nearly $68,000 from the budget for his salary and benefits.

Along with finalizing the budget, Barnes said he is working to streamline services provided by Arundel Town Hall, such as printing and announcements and see if there are any other secretarial needs that should be transferred to the MSAD 71 business office serving as the central office for the consolidated district. 

A workshop to discuss the budget was scheduled for Wednesday, after The Post deadline. Barnes said the budget needs to be approved by the board by April 15 in order to meet deadlines for town meetings May 5 and referendum vote May 15 in Arundel, Kennebunkport and Kennebunk.