SOUTH PORTLAND – The stage has been set for negotiations between the City Council and the Board of Education over how much, if any, the school department’s budget should be increased in the next fiscal year.

The council had directed the school board to propose a budget that wouldn’t raise property taxes. On Wednesday night, school officials presented councilors with a budget that would increase taxes for schools by 1 percent.

Even if the council accepted the proposed $34 million budget, 12 positions — several of them vacant — would have to be eliminated, said Superintendent Suzanne Godin.

Godin told the council that her department has trimmed 49 positions over the last two years. She said it has operated without a budget increase for two consecutive years.

The 1 percent increase would restore several positions that would be cut under the council’s zero percent budget order, including a guidance/social worker, a truancy educational technician at the middle and high schools, two library clerks and an academic support ed tech for middle school.

“We’ve been cutting across the board. We’re at the point where we are impacting student achievement,” Godin said.

The school budget was presented to the council along with South Portland’s municipal budget.

Both budgets will be re-examined April 25 during a joint workshop of the City Council and the Board of Education. A couple of councilors indicated that they may be willing to back down from their zero percent directive.

“In my mind, the zero percent increase was kind of a stretch. I haven’t made up my mind yet,” said Councilor Tom Coward.

City Manager James Gailey said the $16.9 million municipal budget, which represents a 2.5 percent increase over this year, combined with the school budget would raise the property tax rate from $15.70 to $16.13.

That rate would mean the owner of a home assessed at $195,000 would pay an additional $79.53 in property taxes for the year that starts July 1, he said.

Wednesday’s meeting gave residents a chance to weigh in on the proposed school budget.

Everyone who spoke, with one exception, urged the City Council to adopt the 1 percent increase. They praised the city’s school system, noting that the chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Leigh Saufley, is a graduate of South Portland High School.

“We are talking about a really small amount to move the school district forward after two years of zero percent increases,” said Susan Adams.

“A zero percent increase is a backward move. It means we will have cut positions. We’d be cutting programs and affecting the quality of our education,” said Jeff Selser.

“I am not stuck on zero. I remain open-minded,” said City Councilor Patty Smith. 

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at dhoey@pressherald.com