Deep cuts possible after Lisbon rejects school budget for second time

Prior to Tuesday’s vote, Superintendent Richard Green said school ‘programs and services’ would have to be eliminated if the budget failed again.

Community:

Lisbon

Posted August 5, 2025

Updated August 7, 2025

Steve SherlockStaff Writer

Empty voting booths are seen Tuesday at Lisbon High School, where polls were open to voters until 8 p.m. for a school budget validation referendum. Voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposal in June and did so again Tuesday. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)

Lisbon voters once again overwhelmingly rejected the proposed 2025-26 school budget Tuesday by a 3-to-2 margin.

With 1,358 votes cast, the $21.2 million budget — the same amount proposed in June — lost 810-548.

The vote was slightly closer the second time with 60% casting a no vote. In June, 70% of voters rejected the budget, 724-312.

With residents seething over a potential 20% tax hike due to an accounting error with the municipal budget, voters only had one place in June to show their unhappiness with the entire process.

While dozens of town residents packed the Town Council chamber for the past few months, outraged by the anticipated 18.6% tax increase from the municipal budget, school and county taxes and the water department, parents were equally passionate about not cutting the school budget when they filled the School Committee meeting following the no vote.

A yard sign urges voters to vote in favor of the school budget proposal for Lisbon’s special election Tuesday. Voters who overwhelmingly rejected a previous effort in June did so again this week. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)

Instead of making a few cuts to demonstrate goodwill, the committee and the Town Council voted to send the same budget back to voters, believing the electorate would judge it this time on its own merits.

According to statute, the School Department will have to operate under last year’s budget, which is $598,966 less than what failed Tuesday.

A sticker reading “I Voted Today” is seen stuck to a sign marking the polling place entrance Tuesday at Lisbon High School, where voters cast ballots on the school budget validation referendum. The $21.2 million proposal was rejected a second time. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)

Superintendent Richard Green outlined where some of those cuts could come from at last week’s School Committee meeting.

Green said, “$600,000 doesn’t come from pencils and paper. It comes from programs and services.”

He said his options on where to cut are limited and some could prove unpopular. Cutting contractual obligations requires a 90-day notice, which would extend employment into the school year before those positions can be eliminated. That makes cuts here unlikely.

Some professional services that could be trimmed include adult education, some co-curricular positions that are vacant, cleaning and mowing services and perhaps one of the two school resource officers, which could be controversial. The Jobs for Maine Graduates program could also be eliminated. Green also said he would likely establish a hard freeze on spending.

With this latest rejection, the group opposing the budgets is now turning its attention to changing the charter to allow residents to vote on the municipal budget as they do now with the school budget.

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