A total of 48 voters showed up for the passing of the Boothbay Region school committee budget on Wednesday, June 10. Exactly half were from Boothbay, and half from Boothbay Harbor.

Under the guidance of moderator Al Roberts, the voters passed all 16 articles in the budget with no questions whatsoever. The total budget for the 2015-2016 school year equals $9,218,442.36.

Last year's budget was $9,311,932.76, so this year's budget is a decrease of $93,490.40. However, due to a $200,000 decrease in state funds given to the school this year, the town contributions have increased.

The total budget includes regular instruction ($3,941,048.36), special education ($1,434,109), career and technical education ($7,500), other instruction ($255,775), student and staff support ($786,432), system administration ($329,448), school administration ($494,076), transportation and buses ($425,543), facilities maintenance ($1,177,211), debt service and other commitments ($277,300) and nutrition costs ($90,000).

The budget does not include the cost of adult education, $63,650, which also passed.

To figure out costs to each town, take the total budget of $9,218,442.36 and deduct the revenue coming into the school from tuition, state subsidy, contracted services, interest, and the general fund balance left over. Last year, revenue equaled $1,370,764.48, while this year revenue dropped $116,653.48 to $1,254,111.

This leaves $7,964,331 that needs to be raised. Add in adult education and the total costs shared between the towns comes to $8,001,631.

Last year, costs to the towns equaled $7,888,558. This equals a $113,073 increase in costs to the towns. Boothbay's share went up $76,890, or 1.44 percent, while Boothbay Harbor's share went up $36,183, or 1.42 percent.

According to superintendent Eileen King, this is the smallest budget increase ever brought to taxpayers in her 13 years as superintendent.

There was one written ballot question, on whether or not to allow the district to raise and appropriate additional local funds equaling $2,393,471.94 as required to fund the budget recommended by the school committee.

This amount was necessary, according to the warrant, because of the costs of maintaining the student-teacher ratios, special education programming, extra-curricular and co-curricular programs, and transportation costs.

The article passed with 44 votes for and four votes against. According to Assistant Town Clerk Trish Fallon, the votes were evenly split between Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor with 22 votes for and two against in each town.

An audience member thanked the school committee and trustee members who were there, along with Superintendent Eileen King, for all their hard work.