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Maine Property Owners Could Foot Bill for School Funding Gap

AUGUSTA, Maine — Property owners in Maine could end up footing the bill for an estimated $20 million gap in school funding next year.

The Portland Press Herald reports the state Department of Education released its 2016-2017 projections for funding under the essential programs and services model this week. More than 130 districts of the 248 in the state would lose money under the projections.

Officials say the gap is being driven by increased costs, nearly level state funding and a drop in tax valuation.

Adjustments are made every year to funding distributed by the state to local districts, but Maine School Management Association Executive Director Connie Brown says these projections are unusual. She says there’s "an awful lot of red" in the funding projections.