I have read with interest the Oxford Hills School District’s Annual Report for 2016-2017 and Proposed Budget for 2017-2018 and am pleased that the budget reflects a reasonable 1.73 percent annual increase.

I understand the fiscal quandary confronting the administration and school board resulting from Gov. LePage’s proposed changes to the Essential Programs and Services funding model resulting, in part, to an increase of 4.19 percent in local assessments. I support the passage of Article 13 of the warrant to provide for local funding of necessary programs and services the Governor has proposed removing from the EPS model.

I take issue, though, with Article 20 of the proposed budget which authorizes the disposition of any additional state subsidy received by the district in any combination of three ways. Two of those options authorize the School Board to use “all or part of the additional state subsidy to increase expenditures for school purposes” and/or “to increase the allocation of finances in a reserve fund.” To do so would raise the annual budget increase to something more than 1.73 percent while leaving the local assessment increase in place.

If we can assume that any additional state subsidy flowing to the district represents a legislative rejection of the governor’s proposed changes to the EPS model, those funds should be used to decrease the local cost share which is being increased to fund those changes in the first place.

I urge all District voters to carefully consider the options and make their wishes clearly known.

Dale Piirainen, West Paris