The budget was approved Tuesday along with a bond referendum for Bowdoin Central School.
Voters in Topsham, Harpswell, Bowdoin and Bowdoinham approved a $61.2 million school district budget on Election Day.
The Maine School Administrative District 75 budget is expected to increase taxes by roughly 9% in Topsham, 6% in Harpswell, nearly 10% in Bowdoinham and by just under 11% in Bowdoin.
The budget passed with 5,160 “yes” votes to 1,678 “no” votes, according to results released by the district Wednesday morning. All four towns approved the budget.
The biggest cost increases this year were to cover staff salaries and health insurance, Superintendent Heidi O’Leary said in March.
Costs associated with regular instruction and special education, which include most staff, took up the biggest chunks of the budget, comprising more than half of district spending. The district also has a high need for specialized services — 25% of students in the district receive special education services, above the state average of 20.4%.
Student and staff support, facilities and maintenance, debt services, transportation, and administration took up smaller percentages of the budget. Among the changes made this year, the district plans on hiring two nurses and investing $250,000 to begin outfitting district buildings with cameras and security systems.
SAD 75 voters also easily passed a second school referendum allowing the district to issue about $100,000 in bonds through the state’s School Revolving Renovation Fund Program, which will be used to build an accessible bathroom at Bowdoin Central School.
Katie covers Brunswick, Bath and Freeport for the Times Record. She was previously the weekend reporter at the Portland Press Herald and is originally from the Hudson Valley region of upstate New York.... More by Katie Langley
| # | Наименование новости | Тональность | Информативность | Дата публикации |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells-Ogunquit school district budget approved by voters | 0 | 5 | 10-06-2026 |
| 2 | Kittery voters approve $23.9M school budget | 0 | 5 | 10-06-2026 |
| 3 | Bath-area voters approve $47.7M budget | 0 | 5 | 11-06-2026 |
| 4 | Portland overwhelmingly approves $179.3M school budget | 5 | 7 | 10-06-2026 |
| 5 | Kennebunk-area towns approve $64.8M school budget | 0 | 7 | 10-06-2026 |
| 6 | Marshwood’s $40.6M school budget approved by voters | 0 | 5 | 10-06-2026 |
| 7 | Gorham voters approve $60.4M school budget | 0 | 5 | 10-06-2026 |
| 8 | Old Orchard Beach voters approve $18.4M school budget | 0 | 5 | 10-06-2026 |
| 9 | Wells selectman reelected by 7 votes; school board chair unseated by challenger | 0 | 5 | 10-06-2026 |
| 10 | Noble School District budget approved, board member reelected | 0 | 5 | 10-06-2026 |