GORHAM, Maine — Voters in Gorham have rejected a proposed school budget that would have called for $2 million in cuts to sports, clubs, and teachers.
According to unofficial voting results Tuesday, the latest school budget was rejected by a vote of 2,742 to 1,043.
Significant cuts to the school budget were proposed by the town council after a previous version of the budget was rejected on June 13.
The latest proposal included cuts to 14 current staff positions and seven vacant positions. It also would have eliminated clubs at the middle and high school and sports at the middle school. High school sports would have become "pay-to-play."
Even with the financial adjustments to the school budget, residents still would have faced tax increases on top of a revaluation that raised taxes in 2022.
Now, the school committee will be tasked with creating a third budget proposal to be sent to the town council.
"This third budget will strive to find that all important balance our community seeks between meeting the needs of our children and the needs of our taxpayers in this incredible community," the Gorham School Committee said in a statement shared with NEWS CENTER Maine.
The committee said it expects to hold a meeting Wednesday to begin the process of creating a third proposal.
"Our intention is to have a third budget proposal approved by the School Committee by August 2, 2023," the committee said. "After that, our hope is that the third public hearing and Town Council vote will be able to take place on August 8, 2023 with a third public referendum on August 15, 2023."
The committee said the timeline would ultimately need to be approved by the town council at their meeting on August 1.