The Gorham Town Council Tuesday approved a $49.2 million budget for 2015-16, which includes funds for the municipality, county tax and schools.

Gorham voters will decide whether to approve a $35,074,530 school budget on Tuesday, June 9, with polls open from 7 a.m.- 8 p.m. Ward 1 votes at Gorham Middle School on Weeks Road and Ward 2 in Shaw Gym at Gorham Municipal Center, 75 South St.

The Town Council approved the combined municipal and county tax budget at $14,157,210, representing a $773,923 increase over the budget for this fiscal year. The Town Council approved about $40,000 more to run the town than requested by Town Manager David Cole.

Retired teacher Bruce Elder, a Gorham taxpayer who lives in Windham, said in Tuesday’s meeting the budget increases would be a “hit” for people on fixed incomes.

“My request is to consider making a modest cut,” Elder said.

The $35,174,530 school budget sought by the School Committee was slashed $100,000 by the Town Council Tuesday on an amendment motion by Town Councilor Matthew Robinson. Under Robinson’s recommendation, the school budget increase, up from the $34,152,140 approved last year, was reduced to about $900,000 from $1 million.

The cut sent the School Committee scurrying to a special meeting after notifying the American Journal during the Town Council meeting.

In a brief meeting in a conference room, the School Committee approved how it would handle the cut. Dennis Libby, School Committee chairman, said Wednesday the board cut the entire $100,000 amount from the special education portion of the budget. Libby said it doesn’t represent a cut in services, but is a cost shift.

The board is gambling it will receive a federal grant for $80,000, an unknown amount when the School Committee passed the budget in April. The board also pared $20,000 from the fund for placing students who need specialized schools outside of the Gorham district.

After the Town Council passed amendments raising the municipal budget $40,000, which included $21,400 for a police canine unit, Robinson proposed reducing the municipal budget by $70,000. But, Robinson’s amendment proposal received only backing from Town Councilor Ben Hartwell and it failed. The Town Council passed the municipal budget 5-2 (Robinson and Hartwell opposed).

Sharon Laflamme, Gorham’s finance director, said Wednesday the current tax rate is $17.40 per $1,000 of valuation and estimated that the tax rate will increase $1.03 to $18.43.

But, Laflamme said, the figure would change if the town’s total valuation is higher than anticipated and/or the school state subsidy increases.

After the School Committee meeting, Cobb said that the incoming superintendent, Heather Perry, would be earning a $135,000 salary. At RSU 3, where she works now, Perry’s superintendent salary for this fiscal year is $106,121.

Perry will succeed Ted Sharp, who retires after 11 years as Gorham superintendent on Tuesday, June 30. Town Council Chairman Michael Phinney noted that Tuesday’s Town Council meeting was Sharp’s final one in Gorham and thanked him for his service in Gorham.