YARMOUTH — Spend it or amend it.

Those are the choices for voters at Town Meeting on Tuesday, June 5.

With a 31-item warrant up for discussion, residents can parse through more than $32 million in school and municipal fiscal year 2013 spending requiring $26.22 million in property tax revenues.

If passed as presented, the combined budgets and town share of Cumberland County government operations would increase the local tax rate from $20.28 per $1,000 of assessed value to $20.15.

Within the articles on the budget, voters can review and amend the 11 “cost centers” of the $20.16 million education budget, which includes the introduction of full-day kindergarten classes.

If passed as presented, the education budget would increase 1.75 percent.

The municipal budget of $10.9 million requires $7 million in property tax commitments and adds $271,000 in spending. About $195,000 will be allocated for the town share of improvements on Route 88.

Longtime Town Councilor Erving H. “Erv” Bickford will be honored as the 2012 recipient of the Latchstring Award before Town Meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Harrison Middle School, 220 McCartney St. Bickford died May 12 after a long illness.

Town Meeting will be followed by elections June 12 as votes select three councilors, three School Committee members and a trustee for the Yarmouth Water District. The entire education budget will face a referendum vote, as well.

Polls are open June 12 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Robert Boyd AMVETS Hall at 148 North Road.

David Harry can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 110 or dharry@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidHarry8.

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