DIXFIELD — The Regional School Unit 56 budget, which would have raised the average town assessment nearly 23 percent, failed to pass Tuesday. The vote was 343-485.

The $13.27 million proposal for 2019-20 was 8% higher than this fiscal year, which ends June 30.

“I was not surprised,” Superintendent Pam Doyen said Wednesday evening. “The towns have been very generous the past three years” since they withdrew from RSU 10 based in Rumford. “This was the third year so this was a pretty tough budget to take.”

The tallies were: Peru, 88-220; Canton, 124-57; Carthage, 12-45; and Dixfield, 119-163.

Doyen said the school board will meet to direct the administration on a new budget figure. Administrators will present a proposal to the board and from there it will go to voters.

Doyen said the board is scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, at Dirigo High School in Dixfield. However, she hopes they can get a quorum for a meeting Monday at the same time to get started.

“We will move forward and rebuild and get a budget passed,” she said.

Marianne Hutchinson — 207-364-7893, ext. 5207

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net