DIXFIELD — The Regional School Unit 56 budget for 2019-20 was voted down 314-301 on Tuesday night.

The results from the four towns were: Canton, 72-19; Dixfield, 135-106; Carthage, 24-33; and Peru 70-156. 

The $12.9 million spending plan was the district’s second attempt to pass a budget.

The first spending plan of $13.27 million failed June 11. It represented an 8% increase over the 2018-19 budget. 

Tuesday’s budget was a 5% increase from the 2018-19 budget and represented an average increase of 15.61% in assessments to the four towns.

“We will need to prepare a third-round budget,” Superintendent Pam Doyen wrote in an email Tuesday night. “I know it’s disheartening to be tasked with rebuilding the Dirigo schools only to have the budget fail so closely. 

“Although there will be tough decisions for us to make, we will continue to focus on what is best for our students.”

Residents of the four towns voted in 2016 to leave RSU 10 and to form their own district to save money and have more local control

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net

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