PORTLAND — The School Committee will hold a public hearing Wednesday evening on a proposed $89.8 million budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

The hearing will be from 7 to 8 p.m. in Room 250 at Portland Arts and Technology High School on Allen Avenue.

The proposed budget is about 1.7 percent lower than this year’s original $91.3 million budget. However, it’s $1.2 million more than the current spending plan following a midyear reduction in state funding.

The committee is scheduled to vote on the 2010-11 budget on March 31 and forward it to the City Council. The council is expected to vote on the budget on May 3, followed by a citywide referendum on May 11.

The proposed budget and related documents are posted at portlandschools.org