ANSON -- Voters will be at the polls today in Anson, North Anson, Solon, Embden and New Portland to decide the fate of a $9.1 million budget that is up about 2 percent.

About 150 voters attended a district budget meeting Thursday but made no changes to the budget.

This year is the first in Maine for a new "double approval" budget-validation system mandated by the state. Under the new process, the budget is first presented on a line-by-line basis at a district budget meeting, where citizens can raise or lower spending levels. After the budget passes that process, it goes to a referendum for final approval.

Voters in Anson, North Anson, Solon and Embden will vote today from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. New Portland polls will be open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.

If approved, the budget would lower school costs about a quarter of a percent in Anson and North Anson. New Portland would see costs decrease about 4 percent. Solon would see costs rise about a quarter of a percent.

Embden, would see an increase of about 13 percent.

The state Essential Programs and Services model requires each town to raise a percentage of its property valuation for education -- this year, $6.55 per $1,000 in valuation.

The district apportions additional local costs -- those costs in addition to spending covered by EPS -- through a formula based 45 percent on valuation and 55 percent on enrollment.

Because both formulas rely on property valuation to at least some degree, towns with a higher property valuation, such as Embden, pay a higher percentage of costs.

Superintendent Regina Campbell has said the increases would have been higher without almost $300,000 in cuts, most of which occurred at the elementary or middle school level.

Among the cuts are three elementary teaching positions, one special education teaching position, one administrative position (The Carrabec Community School principal), and one special education education technician.

Campbell has said no programs were eliminated. Dropping enrollment, particularly at the elementary level, made the cuts possible.

Alan Crowell -- 474-9534, Ext. 342

acrowell@centralmaine.com