By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

The Hooksett School Board proposed a slightly lower 2005- 06 operating budget to residents on Tuesday, May 3, at a special deliberative session at David R. Cawley Middle School.

A 2005-06 budget was already shot down by voters in March. But as granted by state law, the board is able to present the budget a second time, with the results of a second vote being final.

The new version of the budget is slimmed down by about $100,000 and will be put to a vote on Tuesday, May 31.

Several members of the school board said they are asking for a second vote for one reason (though low turnout at the polls due to bad weather was widely acknowledged): they feel a second year with a default budget would necessitate too many cuts in programs and resources for Hooksett students.

Already dropped from the first budget are a program for advanced students, a student management software package, and some supplies.

The board is now asking for $21,644,339 in total. A default budget would leave approximately $21,180,599, a nearly half-million dollar difference.

School board member Ron Dion said that if the district isn't granted the difference of $463,740, many after-school activities would be in danger of being completly cut.

Dion mentioned the yearbook, arts programs, student council and sports programs as likely candidates for cancellation. He added that a default budget wouldn't allow the purchase of any new textbooks for the second straight year.

"We are compounding a very serious problem," Dion said. "We're going to have to take away things that are very vital to our kids."

Voting will take place at David R. Cawley Middle School from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 31.