Dear Editor: 

Over numerous weeks, a series of letters has been offered to acquaint Edgecomb taxpayers with issues that affect changes in Edgecomb property taxes.  They have focused on the Edgecomb school budget primarily because:

1. The school budget represents over 60% of the total town budget.

2. The expense portion of the school budget has increased 10% a year for three consecutive years, without explanation.

3. Persistent underbudgeting of revenue and overbudgeting of expenses should have produced a large surplus, presently unaccounted for by the school board. 

Item #3 is particularly important because if that surplus has been spent, the increase in expenses has been markedly greater than the 10% budgeted increase.  If,however,a surplus still exists in the general fund, regulations require a significant portionshould be carried forward to next year’s budget, thereby reducting next year’s school tax assessment. [Note, we have been told that this calculation and carryforward has not been performed because the school has not had a recent audit.This explanation is absurd.  A Maine DOE formula automatically computes this number using simple inputs.  Almost every other school does this without an audit.A good local example is Southport*.] 

These large expense increases are particularly disturbing because:

1. The Edgecomb resident student population has been decreasing for twenty years

2. All major capital debtswere paid off in 2022. 

3. There have been no major changes in federal or state education regulations that can account for these increases. 

Therefore, these large yearly increases are unexplained. Continuing at this rate will lead to unsustainable increases in property taxes, seriously straining the budgets of citizens on fixed incomesor those who choose to live within their means.  Eventually it will lead to decreased property values,prevent young families and new businesses from moving to our community and eventually lead to what is commonly referred to as the “property tax death spiral.”

*https://sites.google.com/aos98schools.org/aos98schoolboards/home/southport-central-school 

Kathryn Rohr M.D. 

Edgecomb