School Administrative District 61 had yet to adopt a new budget Friday — the first day of the fiscal year and Kathleen Beecher’s first day as interim superintendent.

By 16 votes out of 974 cast Thursday, residents of the four-town district rejected a proposed 2011-12 budget for the second time.

Beecher, who was assistant superintendent for the past six years, said she isn’t overwhelmed by having to come up with a third proposal or run a school district without knowing how much money it will have to spend.

“We’ll just be careful,” she said.

The $26.6 million budget that voters rejected Thursday was 2.5 percent more than last year’s budget. The school board shaved $262,000 from the proposal that was rejected by a 93-vote margin in May.

All four towns in the district rejected the budget in the first vote. On Thursday, the budget passed in Naples by one vote and in Bridgton by 39. Sebago residents voted 78-66 against it. In Casco, where the budget increase would have the greatest effect on the tax rate, residents rejected the proposed budget, 129-85.

The total vote was 495-479 against the budget.

With such a small difference in votes, Beecher said it will be difficult to figure out how much more to cut without turning supporters against the budget because they think it’s too low.

That’s exactly the problem with the state-mandated budget validation process, former Superintendent Patrick Phillips said Thursday, his last day working for the district.

“Frankly, I think the process is absurd,” said Phillips, who on Friday started his new job as superintendent of Saco-based Regional School Unit 23.

Before the referendums, the budgets were approved at public meetings. Although Beecher said the meeting on June 23 was contentious, each article was ultimately approved.

“It’s like getting one will of the voters, and maybe a different set of people shows up the following week,” Phillips said.

Beecher said there were few specific suggestions about what voters want to see cut.

Bob Levesque of Casco, an outspoken opponent of a tax increase, said he doesn’t believe that should be the role of residents.

“I think the superintendent and school board are better qualified than I am,” he said. “They should know what to do.”

Beecher said the school board will meet Tuesday to start figuring out what else can be cut and when the next vote should be held.

By state statute, it has to be within 60 days of Thursday’s vote, she said.

Beecher expects board members to consider whether to hold the vote in July, when turnout is likely to be low because people are on vacation.

On other hand, she said, the district can’t fill its half-dozen vacant positions without knowing whether they will exist. And the later the district hires, Beecher said, the harder it is to find good candidates.

Staff Writer Leslie Bridgers can be contacted at 791-6364 or at:

lbridgers@mainetoday.com