BRIDPORT — Bridport residents on Tuesday voted 125-75 in favor of a 2010-2011 elementary school spending plan that was slightly leaner than the version defeated on Town Meeting Day.
The approved, $1,330,817 spending plan was $6,158 less than the budget voters rejected by a 179-172 tally last March. The savings were derived from reduced health care premiums ($2,158) and reduced professional development expenses ($4,000).
The original Bridport Central School budget represented a 0.93 percent spending increase compared to this year’s spending plan. The new budget amounts to a 0.46-percent boost compared to this year. The budget includes an interest payment of $18,712 associated with last year’s voter-approved school construction bond. Absent that debt obligation, the new spending plan represents a 1-percent decrease compared to this year.
The new budget — combined with Bridport’s obligations under the already passed UD-3 middle and high school budget — will result in a 2.19-percent increase in the town’s K-12 homestead education property tax rate, to $2.091 per $100 of assessed value.
Bridport school directors were pleased with Tuesday’s results.
“Now that the budget is resolved to the satisfaction of the voters, we can focus our attention on improving the academic performance of the school,” said Bridport school director Rick Scott.
Reporter John Flowers is at [email protected].