The Regional School Unit 14 board is scheduled to hold a public hearing Wednesday, Feb. 11, on a new district cost-sharing formula that would increase taxes for Windham residents and reduce Raymond’s burden.

The hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Windham High School Auditorium, setting the stage for a March 18 vote on the proposed formula, according to Marge Govoni, chairwoman of the school board.

“This is to get input from the public, if people have questions or clarifications that they need as to exactly what the new formula means,” Govoni said. “They can see what the impact is.”

In a unanimous decision, the board voted 6-0 on Jan. 7 to recommend the new policy.

The proposed formula would not affect the school assessments that are determined by the state’s Essential Services and Programs formula – or about 85 percent of this year’s $25.52 million budget.

It would affect the remaining 15 percent, or about $3.7 million. While the existing cost-sharing formula has Windham residents pay for a little more than 55 percent of the locally controlled expenses, the new budget would increase Windham’s share to 64 percent. Raymond’s share would dip from about 45 to 36 percent.

Assuming that expenses and incomes remain at current levels in coming years, district administrators estimate that a $250,000 home in Windham would see a $51 tax increase as a result of the new formula. School taxes on a $250,000 home in Raymond would decline $90, according to the projection. If approved by voters at a district-wide meeting in the spring, the tax modifications would be phased in over a three-year period, starting in fiscal year 2016.

According to school district officials, who deny the arrangement is an effort to appease Raymond voters who have initiated a district withdrawal process partly due to concerns about the existing cost-sharing arrangement, the board has intended to re-examine the formula since the spring of 2014.

Govoni said the Raymond residents she’s talked to about the proposed formula are in favor.

“I’ve heard from the Raymond folks,” she said. “They’re excited about it. They’re glad it’s happening. They feel it’s time for something like this to happen.”

The board chairwoman said she has only heard from a few Windham residents about the proposal.

“Some of them have asked the question, why would we do this now when they’re withdrawing,” she said. “I remind people to keep in mind that even though they voted to withdraw, they’re really going through an evaluation right now of what would the effect of it be if they did withdraw.”

“When all is said and done we may still be a district,” she added.

In order for the changes to be effective for the upcoming fiscal year, a district-wide referendum will take place at the high school auditorium on March 18, according to district officials.