Brunswick School Superintendent Phil Potenziano on the WCME Midcoast Morning Buzz

On the WCME Midcoast Morning Buzz, Brunswick School Superintendent Phil Potenziano, while not saying he is opposed, is nonetheless raising questions about a new proposal to shrink the size of the tax impact in the town’s budget plan for the new fiscal year.

Potenziano says there needs to be further discussion about both the short-term and long-term financial consequences of the use of reserve funds to cut the tax rate, as proposed by councilors Jamie Ecker and Steve Weems. That further discussion will begin at Wednesday evening’s school board meeting.

The councilors are proposing a $600,000 reduction in the tax levy by tapping reserve funds and by adding increased revenue from Bowdoin College, stemming from a recently negotiated rent increase for the college’s use of third floor office space at Town Hall. The proposal would lower the tax impact of the overall town budget to 1.8 percent, down from the currently proposed level of 2.8 percent.

You may hear today’s wide-ranaging interview with Phil Potenziano here.

Potenziano-Buzz 5-7-24