Voter's Guide: Pat-Med School Budget, Board Election

Pat-Med residents will vote on the school district’s $171.45 million proposed budget for the 2014-15 school year on Tuesday.

The proposal calls for a 2.38 percent increase in spending over the current year and a decrease in the school tax levy of .07 percent, which is equal to the state's tax cap for the district. 

However, the overall budget proposal is considered over the tax cap when including a voter proposition on the ballot proposing to change the mileage limitation for transporting children to private and parochial high schools from 15 miles to 25 miles that would cost the district $330,948.  

Thus, the budget and/or the proposition must each receive a 60 percent supermajority vote to pass. 

Five candidates are running for two seats on the Pat-Med Board of Education. The candidates are incumbent Brett P. Houdek, Diana Andrade, Kelli A. Jennings, Kevin G. Maccabee and Bunnie A. Schiller. The top two vote getters in the at-large election will win seats on the board.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Eagle, Medford and Tremont elementary schools, as well as at South Ocean and Saxton middle schools.

To find out where you vote and to read more on the proposed budget, visit the district's website here.