MOUNT DESERT — The school committee here has adopted a $3.11 million budget for Mount Desert Elementary School for next fiscal year that, if approved by voters at town meeting in May, will increase property taxes $3.62 for every $100,000 of valuation.

The budget is $58,894 more than the amount budgeted for the current year – an increase of 1.93 percent – but $100,159 more than the school actually anticipates spending this year.

The school’s state subsidy for special education, which was reduced by $24,000 earlier this year, is being cut by another $23,000. Offsetting more than half of that loss, however, is a $12,198 drop in debt service costs.

The requested appropriation from the town is $2.95 million, an increase of 2.49 percent.

Nearly $34,000 of the increase in the school budget is due to a projected 10 percent hike in health insurance premiums. Blue Cross/Blue Shield has told school system officials that the rate increase will not be greater than 10 percent, but the exact rate probably will not be known until April. If the rate increase turns out to be less the school budget can be reduced on the floor of town meeting.

Voters at town meeting also will be asked to amend the budget to reflect a lower than expected lock-in price for heating fuel.

For more education news, pick up a copy of the Mount Desert Islander.

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