In a town meeting format, residents of Durham, Freeport and Pownal will vote Wednesday, May 28, article by article, on a $27,331,990 Regional School Unit 5 budget for 2014-2015.

The regional budget meeting at Freeport begins at 6:30 p.m., and will end once voters have gone through – and perhaps amended – each of the 11 articles.

RSU 5 residents will vote on the finished package at polling places in the three towns on Tuesday, June 10.

The $27.3 million spending plan is more than a 5 percent increase from this year’s budget, and comes at a time when Freeport is attempting to withdraw from RSU 5.

Durham residents would absorb a 6.64 percent tax increase if the budget passes in its present form. The increase would be 6.08 percent in Pownal and 3.49 percent in Freeport.

– Larry Grard