Dunbarton residents will be asked to vote on the school’s proposed budget, which is an 8.4% increase over the previous year, at the annual meeting in March.

The proposed operating budget presented at the public hearing on Wednesday is $9.6 million, up from $8.8 million in the current budget. If the budget is approved, it is estimated that this would raise the local school property tax rate to $17.58 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, representing a 17% increase over last year.

School board member Jeff Trexler said the single biggest driver of the budget increases in Dunbarton is tuition that the school district is contractually obligated to pay to the Bow School District for the education of their middle and high school students.

The school district will also vote on a warrant article to raise $35,800 to add to the school’s existing Capital Reserve Fund, which would result in a $0.02 increase in the tax rate. This would keep the fund at $240,000 the same as last year.

The warrant articles will be voted on by the public at the annual meeting on March 11 at 4 p.m. at the Dunbarton Community Center, 20 Robert Rogers Rd.

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