Portland voters easily approved a $161.4 million school budget Tuesday.

The budget passed with 70% of the vote, or 3,464 to 1,423.

“We are deeply grateful to Portland voters for approving our school budget for the 2024-2025 school year,” Superintendent Ryan Scallon and Board of Public Education Chair Sarah Lentz said in a joint statement. “In the face of daunting fiscal challenges, this budget is as responsive as possible to the needs of our students, staff and families, while also keeping in mind the concerns of taxpayers.

“The budget is grounded in equity, centers students, supports staff, provides additional resources to schools and is aligned to our emerging strategic plan. Thank you to Portland voters for demonstrating once again at the polls the value you place on a quality public education for our city’s children.”

The 2024-25 school year budget requires taxpayers to take on a 6.6% increase on the school’s portion of the tax rate, but will still result in the school district eliminating around 10 positions.

The City Council approved its $276 million municipal budget this month.

Combined, the municipal and school district budgets will raise property taxes citywide by 5% and result in a total $252 tax increase on a $350,000 home.

The school district said in a statement Tuesday night that the budget includes strategic funding for increased student mental health, reading support, special education and school climate, as well as increased rigor in the classroom, while maintaining funding for athletics, extracurriculars and class sizes. The budget also includes sizable reductions and strategic restructuring to address a fiscal shortfall, the district said.

The budget attracted significant attention from parents, educators and community members. Most who spoke up said they were concerned about how cutting positions in a school district where employees are already stretched thin might impact students and remaining staff. However, some said the budget increase was too high and asked the district to put less pressure on taxpayers.

Voter turnout in Portland was low, but those who turned out said they felt it was important to be there.

Maine College of Art and Design professor Annie Wadleigh, 62, said she voted because she “feels it’s my duty as a Maine and Portland Citizen.” She said she voted in favor of the school budget.

Michael Schlotterbeck, who also said he voted to approve the budget, said he tries not to miss any elections. He said he “assumes the folks setting up the (school) budget know what they’re doing.”

This budget season was a particularly challenging one for the school district. School leaders have said that due to a loss of federal COVID-19 funding, flat state funding, inflation and increased student need they face tight margins that have made it challenging to maintain quality education without putting too much pressure on taxpayers.

After the City Council approved the school budget in May and sent it to voters, Lentz, the school board chair, said it is “fiscally responsible” and “meets the needs of students, teachers and schools.”

Press Herald Staff Writer Dana Richie contributed to this report.