Gorham’s preliminary school budget unveiled Monday by Superintendent Heather Perry calls for a $36,824,253 spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Perry’s proposal is up $1,749,723, representing a 5 percent hike over the $35.1 million approved last spring.

Perry’s proposed budget builds in an assumed significant loss for Gorham in state subsidies.

The budget as presented would increase property taxes $1.24, up 12 percent, from $10.41 to $11.65 per $1,000 of valuation, on a Gorham home. For example, the increase would mean taxes on a home assessed at $200,000 would rise $248. The projected increase is based on the town’s total estimated valuation figures.

But, Perry’s proposed budget could be pared down in a series of upcoming School Committee workshops. Following Monday’s presentation, Perry emphasized that her proposal is a preliminary budget.

“There’s a potential for significant change,” said Perry, who succeeded Ted Sharp as Gorham’s superintendent last July.

The Gorham School Department budget requires approval by the School Committee, with a vote likely coming on April 13. The School Committee and Town Council will hold a joint budget workshop on May 17. The Town Council will vote June 7 on the school proposal before it goes to Gorham voters in a June 14 referendum.

Gorham could be losing some $170,000 in school funding.

“The question of our state’s spending priorities is especially urgent in the wake of recent news that many school districts will be getting less state funding for next year, leaving local property taxpayers to make up the difference,” Rep. Andrew McLean, D-Gorham, told the American Journal in an email Tuesday.

“For some towns, the gap is large. Gorham is set to lose roughly $170,000 in school funding. Communities like ours can’t afford that kind of shift onto property taxpayers.”

But the exact state subsidy figures remain unknown. In a letter dated Feb. 16 to Gorham School Committee members, Perry wrote, “As of this date, public school districts in Maine are still awaiting final confirmation of subsidy allocations.”

McLean said that if lawmakers don’t take action, “we face a $23 million property tax increase across the state. Our schools can’t absorb these budget cuts without negatively impacting the students who are the future of our state.”

Rising property taxes, McLean said, put pressure on working families and seniors who find it difficult to stay in their own homes and the local businesses that are creating jobs.

The state subsidy reduction estimated for Gorham, coupled with proposed budget expenditures, would peg Gorham property owners share of local education at $18,061,421, a $2,024,735 increase from $16,036,686 , a 12.6 percent hike from a year ago.

In this week’s budget meeting, Gorham School Committee members heard the financial requests of several department administrators and will hear from administrators from the town’s five schools at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 29. The School Committee will comb through Perry’s budget in workshop meetings on March 14, 21 and 23.

“There’s still a lot more work to be done,” Perry said Monday.

According to Perry’s letter of transmittal to the School Committee, a “status quo” budget, which would be one without new initiatives, would even rise by $876,956 from last year’s $35,074,530 to $35,951,487.

New initiatives included in her proposed budget include $560,000 for capital improvements, jumping up to $1 million from $440,000 this year; $67,500 for an addition of one central office position; and $42,000 for a part-time K-5 library/media specialist position.

Reductions in the budget account for $440,297 and reflect $86,250 savings for gas and diesel fuel and $105,000 in out-of-district tuition.

To reduce the local property tax rate impact by 23 cents, Perry said in her letter, $350,000 from the district’s fund balance would be used as a revenue source to support her proposed budget.

The school budget workshops are open to the public.

“The public is of course always welcome to come and listen in on our workshop meetings,” Perry said.

“I look forward to our continued work together to create a final proposed FY 17 budget that supports the district’s mandate to provide a high quality, comprehensive educational program for all students in a fiscally responsible manner,” Perry wrote in her Feb. 16 letter to the School Committee.

Gorham Town Manager David Cole will hand his proposed municipal budget to the Town Counil at its meeting on Tuesday, April 5, with a workshop scheduled for Tuesday, April 12.