South Berwick and Eliot voters on Tuesday, June 9, will determine the fate of the $40.6 million budget to operate the MSAD35 school district next year.
The proposed 2026-27 budget is 4.33%, or $1.6 million, more than this year’s budget of $38.9 million.
If accepted by residents voting by secret ballot next week, this budget will increase school taxes by 6.8% for South Berwick taxpayers and 1.4% for Eliot taxpayers, according to Ryan Cormier, district finance director.
The tax bill on a home in South Berwick valued at $500,000 will increase by $230 a year if the budget approved by voters at the district’s Annual Budget Meeting last month is accepted, Cormier said. Eliot taxpayers with a $500,000 home would see a projected annual tax increase of $45 a year, he said.
South Berwick taxpayers would be seeing a bigger increase because the town recently had a revaluation leading to a more dramatic increase in property valuation than in Eliot; and South Berwick has more students enrolled in the school district than Eliot.
The state formula for calculating the amount of State revenue returned to each town takes into account property values and student population.
The annual referendum on the school budget is held in conjunction with Primary elections in June to save costs.
If the budget is not approved by voters June 9, the district will operate on the budget approved at the May 11 budget meeting, until a new budget is approved. A second district budget meeting and referendum will then be held and the process repeated until a final budget is approved by both means.
Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Marshwood High School for South Berwick voters and at the Eliot Town Hall for Eliot voters.
