ROCKLAND, Maine — There is considerable uncertainty about what the tax impact will end up being to city property owners because of the withdrawal of St. George from the regional school district.
But the mayor is calling for a meeting of local and state officials to try to determine that impact.
Mayor Frank Isganitis has called for the council to meet with school board and local legislators on the matter. The mayor states in his proposal that he wants periodic reports from the group to protect the interests of students and taxpayers.
Rockland pays the largest share of Regional School Unit 13’s budget because it has the most students enrolled in the district and because of its high property valuation, compared to the other member communities.
St. George’s withdrawal takes effect July 1. That will leave Thomaston, Owls Head, South Thomaston and Cushing in the district with Rockland.
Of the $27.2 million RSU 13 budget for 2014-15, the district receives only $3.2 million in state aid, which means the remainder is paid for through local property taxes.
Rockland is paying $8.1 million to the school district this year, slightly more than a third of the entire local share. St. George is second largest contributor, at more than $4.4 million.
RSU 13 Business Manager Peter Orne said Friday that there were still too many moving parts on both the revenue and expenditure sides of the ledger to know what the financial impact of withdrawal will be. He said revenue estimates can’t be determined until the governor submits an education aid budget proposal. Administrators also are in the early stages of figuring out expenses, he said.
The city council will vote Monday evening on scheduling a meeting with the school and state officials. No date is set.