Luxemburg-Casco School District officials hope that by tightening the belt, they will have your support on Election Day. The district has to go to voters for an operational referendum for the first time this spring, which has been a semi-annual rite of passage for others since the state limits what districts could spend per pupil in time for the 2009-2010 school year. The district is projecting a $3.2 million shortfall over the next three years. Officials originally proposed an operational referendum of $2.6 million, but district surveys showed that the community was unlikely to support it. That amount has since been lowered to $1.8 million with expected cuts to its maintenance, transportation, and curriculum budgets and a switch in its education service contract. Luxemburg-Casco District Superintendent Jo-Ellen Fairbanks says it is up to them to make their case to voters.

Without the operational referendum, the district says 11 full-time and five part-time positions would be eliminated in addition to other cuts.  To learn more, you can attend one of the three referendum information sessions on February 20th, February 29th, and March 13th. The sessions will occur at 6 p.m. inside the High School Heritage Room.