School budget votes: Gorham says ‘no,’ Portland and South Portland say ‘yes’

Gorham voters rejected the town’s proposed school budget Tuesday, while voters in Portland and other nearby communities easily passed school spending proposals.

Gorham’s school budget failed 59% to 41%, or 956 to 660.

The proposed $51.5 million school budget represented an increase of more than $5 million, or 11%, over this year’s $46.4 million budget. The proposed Gorham budget would have added $1.31 to the town’s tax rate, or $393 to the annual tax bill on a home valued at $300,000.

Other communities in Greater Portland showed strong support for school budgets.

Portland voters overwhelmingly passed the city’s proposed school budget, 76% to 21% with 3% blank. A total of 8,811 voters supported the budget and 2,428 opposed it.

Portland’s approved budget for the 2023-24 school year is $143.8 million. The budget is $10.7 million higher than this year’s $133.1 million budget and will add $159 to the annual tax bill for the owner of a $375,000 home, the median home value in Portland.

Cumberland and North Yarmouth voters passed School Administrative District 51’s budget with 1,887 votes in favor and 951 against, or 67% to 33%. In Cumberland, the SAD 51 budget was approved with 1,138 votes in favor and 545 votes against the budget, or 68% to 32%. North Yarmouth voters approved the budget by 65% with 749 votes in favor of the budget and 406 against it.

In South Portland, the school budget was approved 598 to 273, or 69% to 31%.

Cape Elizabeth voters passed the school budget 849 to 686, or 55% to 45%.

In Old Orchard Beach, the school budget was approved 942 to 216, or 81% to 19%.

In Saco, the school budget was approved 322 to 89, or 78% to 22%.

Westbrook voters passed the school budget 404 to 283, or 59% to 41%.

In Yarmouth, the school budget was approved 839 to 284, or 75% to 25%.

Falmouth voters passed the town’s school budget 1,432 to 361, or 80% to 20%.

Freeport voters approved Regional School Unit 5’s budget 337 to 99, or 77% to 23%. Pownal and Durham results were not available Tuesday night.

The voters of New Gloucester and Gray approved a budget for SAD 15 by a combined vote of 925 to 716, or 56% to 44%. New Gloucester voters approved the budget 451 to 204, or 69% to 31%. That was a big enough margin to pass the budget despite opposition in Gray , where voters opposed it 512 to 474, or 52% to 48%.