Maine Revised Statutes

1. Cost center summary budget format.  The school administrative district budget must consist of the following cost centers and supporting data:

2. Budget warrant.  The warrant articles presented to the legislative body of the school administrative district for approval of the school administrative district budget must correspond to the categories of the cost center summary budget described in subsection 1. In addition to expenditure and revenue cost center summary totals, the board of directors shall provide to voters a reasonably detailed breakdown for each major subcategory within each budget category. The department shall adopt routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A defining and establishing the content of those informational subcategories.

3. Approval of cost center summary budget format.  An article to establish the cost center summary budget format may be placed on a warrant for a referendum vote by either a majority vote of the board of directors or a written petition filed with the board of directors by at least 10% of the number of voters voting in the last gubernatorial election in the municipalities in the school administrative district. The board of directors shall place the article on the next scheduled warrant or an earlier one if determined appropriate by the board of directors. If adopted by the voters, the cost center summary budget format takes effect in the next budget year or in the following budget year if the approval occurs less than 90 days before the start of the next budget year. Once adopted by the voters, the cost center summary budget format may not be changed. In a school administrative district using the district budget meeting process provided in sections 1303 and 1304 or a budget format other than one established by the school administrative district voters under section 1306, the cost center summary budget format may be adopted and subsequently amended or repealed by majority vote of the board of directors.

4. Budget approval.  A school administrative district's cost center summary budget must be approved at a school administrative district budget meeting as provided in sections 1303 and 1304 or by a district budget meeting and budget validation referendum as provided in section 1305-B.

5. Transfer between budget cost center lines.  During the year for which the budget is approved using the cost center summary budget format, the board of directors may transfer an amount not exceeding 5% of the total appropriation for any cost center to another cost center or among other cost centers without voter approval.