SAD 4 residents vote down $9.5M budget
GUILFORD — For the second time a $9,531,320 SAD 4 budget for the 2025-26 academic year was voted down at the polls. At Tuesday’s referendum the budget was turned down via a 331-283 count across the six district communities, per verbal reports made to the superintendent’s office (district officials are still awaiting verifications in writing as of presstime).
The budget was favored 96-53 in Guilford, 72-70 in Sangerville and 16-10 in Wellington. There were more no than yes votes in Abbot at 83-30, Cambridge at 31-30 and Parkman at 84-39 as there were 48 more total no votes.
The referendum was third this year with the previous two, also for $9,531,320 in July and $9,752,463 in June, both being voted down.
SAD 4 officials will be discussing the process to bring another budget to voters for a fourth district budget meeting and referendum sometime in the months to come.
The $9.5 million-plus total was turned down via a 234-207 count in July. In June SAD 4 residents voted down a proposed 2025-26 budget of $9,752,463 at 282-187. After that district officials developed a second budget down by more than $221,000 than what was first brought to the polls.
Reductions to get to the approximate $9.5 million budget include approximately $94,000 by eliminating the Learning for Life program (the dozen alternative education students will be accommodated through other programming), $72,000 for not filling an IT position with the employee having left the district and $38,000 for no longer having some assistant sports coaches that were set to be added in 2025-26.
The $9.5 million figure was up $283,929 or 3.07 percent from the 2024-25 budget of $9,247,391. The $9.75 million figure voted down in June represented a 5.46 percent increase from last year.
For 2025-26 the state is allocating $3,264,110 to SAD 4, $147,237 less than the $3.4 million-plus allocated in 2024-25.
In order to receive these funds, the district is required to raise $2,982,900 or a $29,387 increase.
A sum of $1,963,019 in local additional monies was requested. This warrant article was approved by a count of 47-9 via the required recorded ballot at last month’s district budget meeting.
Each district community has its local required figure, additional local amount and costs for the Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Cooperative (SAD 4’s proportional share of the regional program is $53,256 of nearly $450,000).
Five of the six district six towns would have seen an increased assessment in 2025-26. The total combined assessment is $4,999,175 which is up by $148,479 or 3.06 percent.
Abbot would have a $34,738 (3.74 percent) increase in its assessment to $962,686; Cambridge’s $352,359 proportional share of the SAD 4 budget is up $13,723 (4.05 percent); Guilford’s share is $1,327,368, down slightly by $5,447 (0.41 percent); Parkman would have a $14,633 (1,57 percent) increase to $934,276; Sangerville’s $1,052,094 share is up $82,593 (7.85 percent); and Wellington’s $264,893 assessment represents a $8,269 (3.12 percent) increase from 2024-25.