DIXFIELD — Residents of the three region, 12-town RSU 10 school district will have three chances this week to hear about and comment on the proposed $35,145,068 2012-13 budget.

The first is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. May 22 at the Buckfield Town Office. The second at 6:30 p.m. May 23 at Dirigo High School. The final public hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 24 at the Mexico Town Office.

Residents of all member towns will then vote on the budget at 6:30 p.m. May 31 in Muskie Auditorium at Mountain Valley High School.

The finalized budget figure will be validated at referendum in each town during the primary election June 12. Those towns are: Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner, Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, Peru, Byron, Roxbury, Mexico, Rumford and Hanover.

The proposed 2012-13 budget is about 3 percent higher than the current year’s operating budget.

To arrive at the board-adopted figure, more than 30 positions were eliminated. The higher proposed budget is the result of fixed costs and increased fuel costs.

Superintendent Tom Ward said this year’s proposed budget reflects the first increase since the Mountain Valley, Dirigo and Nezinscot regions merged three years ago.