When former Salem Budget Committee member Stephen Campbell watched the current committee negotiate this year’s school budget, all he felt was disappointment.

With an overall increase of 8.5 percent after budget committee cuts, Campbell said this year’s school budget is unacceptable.

“I’m not crying poor, but there are a lot of people out there who can’t afford these increases,” he said. “It seems to me that the school board should have taken in to account people’s ability to pay, and I don’t think they did.”

Campbell said he’s not only upset with the school board but the budget committee as well, which made only minimal cuts to the budget despite its high figure.

“From what I saw, I’m not even sure they opened the books,” Campbell said. “And they consider themselves fiscal conservatives.”

Campbell’s reaction is shared by several Salem citizens and officials who were also hit with higher property taxes after the town went through a revaluation this past year.

Campbell’s property value rose 108 percent this year and his taxes jumped by $600. Such is the case for many other Salem residents.

For this reason, Campbell and some officials said they think the school budget will meet heavy opposition from voters in March.

Budget committee member Kathy Cote, one of the few members of the committee to propose cuts, said by submitting such a high figure to voters, the school board is in for a tough fight.

“They’re setting themselves up for failure,” Cote said.

Though Cote also criticized her fellow committee members for not making enough cuts, some said their lack of action was for a good reason.

Pat Hargreaves, budget committee vice-chairman, said he was hesitant to make cuts because he didn’t have enough time to prepare.

Hargreaves said he received the school district’s budget proposal late and didn’t want to act without looking over it thoroughly.

“I don’t like making cuts unless I know the facts,” he said.

“That’s not fair to the kids or the town.”

Rather, Hargreaves said he’s planning to make more cuts when the committee assembles for a final vote on the school budget on Jan. 9.

But many of the cuts his committee will make will likely be restored during the school’s deliberative sessions, a process that has become a Salem standard, he said.

Hargreaves isn’t without sympathy for what the district would like to do for its students, but he said the district should be considering property tax increases.

Despite criticisms, school officials said they stand by the budget they submitted and hope to gain voter support.

Uncontrollable increases in special education and retirement costs were largely responsible for the large increase, they said.

Special education costs will rise by more than $686,000 while retirement costs will jump by $512,000.

Keeping these increases in mind, school board member Roland Maher said the board did the best they could to prioritize their expenses and submit a lean budget.

“We tried to cut back things that we did have control over,” he said.

Superintendent Michael Delahanty said he understands the criticisms, especially in light of tax increases.

“One of the most challenging parts of my job is trying to be sensitive to the taxpayers,” he said. “It doesn’t appear that I am, but I’m compelled to seek what is necessary to provide an education to the students.”

Based on the current state of the budget, Delahanty said he doesn’t think the school board will seek any restoration. But that may change with further cuts.

“I want the entire budget to be supported, but if the town says no then I’ll accept that and move on,” he said.

The school board and budget committee will meet again at Town Hall on Jan. 9 for the final vote on the budget.