The four member communities of Regional School Unit 22 on Tuesday endorsed a revised version of the budget they rejected during June’s election, after school leaders used extra money from the state to cut the cost for residents.
A $30,972,944 budget was approved by voters, 397-328, during the referendum vote in Hampden, Winterport, Newburgh and Frankfort, which reflects a $304,123 drop in what residents will pay, compared to the earlier budget.
The original budget had residents shelling out $11,241,060 — or nearly 4.4 percent more than last year — and under the new budget they will pay $10,936,937, or 1.57 percent more than last year, Superintendent Richard Lyons has said.
The district initially planned for $18,154,456 in state aid but ended up getting $18,720,257, or $450,658 more.
The remaining 40 percent of the additional state aid will be applied to instruction, Lyons said.
The overall budget increased by 2.96 percent.
Frankfort residents endorsed the original proposed budget in June but residents of Hampden, Newburgh and Winterport all voted it down with a total of 710 opposed and 637 in support. This time around, residents in all four towns endorsed the revised budget.