The Region 4 Board of Education’s $20,572,675 proposed 2019-’20 budget goes to referendum on Tuesday, May 7 in Chester, Deep River, and Essex. The budget represents a $519,994 or 2.59 percent spending increase over the previous year. The proposal will now be passed along for a town vote.

The average daily membership (ADM) in the three towns shows an increase in Chester of 1.33 percent over the previous year, an increase of 1.34 percent in Deep River, and a decrease of 2.67 percent in Essex, which decreases the Essex portion of the total budget.

If the budget is adopted, the Chester portion of the budget is $4,857,242 an increase of $387,661 or 8.67 percent. The Deep River contribution is $7,131,407, an increase of $447,829 or 6.70 percent. In Essex, the contribution will be $8,334,539, a decrease of $315,496 or 3.65 percent.

Polls are open from noon to 8 p.m. Chester voters poll at Town Hall, 203 Middlesex Turnpike. In Deep River, the polling place is the Deep River Public Library, 150 Main Street. In Essex, polls are at Town Hall, 29 West Avenue.