Windham voters ratified the school budget by a vote of 244 to 78 June 19 in a state-mandated special election marked by low turnout.

The election was the final step in settling the $14.47 million budget, which was approved at the annual town meeting June 14. Due to changes in the state law, education budgets are now subject to a ratification vote at the polls following approval by a municipality’s governing body.

With Windham’s $29.94 million municipal budget already approved, the 2008-09 tax rate is expected to rise to $11.70 per $1,000 valuation, a 3.5 percent increase over the previous year.

The 322 residents who voted Thursday represent just a small percentage of those who went to the polls for the June 10 primary and municipal elections. On June 10, around 2,300 Windham residents voted.

Cuts were made to the school budget during the budget process, and included the loss of an assistant prinicipal position at Manchester School that was created for the original budget but cut during the budget reviews.

Councilors also cut an additional $110,000 at the final budget review by using additional surplus funds. The plan to use the surplus was controversial, and passed by a 4-3 vote.

Councilor Kaile Warren, who voted against the plan to use surplus and wanted rather to simply cut the funds from the budget, called the plan “highly speculative” given the uncertainty surrounding the economy.

Supporters of the plan, like School Board Chairman Jeff Pierce, said the School Department would be forced to cut back spending if the surplus funds are not at a sufficient level by the end of next year, and thus could not overspend.