CHINA -- It took two meetings and three hours, and the town manager still has rewriting to do, but China selectmen and School and Budget committee members have the warrant for the May 31 special town meeting in order.

The meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, May 31 at China Middle School, is for the purpose of acting on the 2008-09 school budget request.

State law requires an open meeting, with articles written in state-mandated format and discussed and voted on individually.

The meeting is followed by a budget validation referendum, scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, at which voters approve or reject the final figure approved at the open meeting.

The 14 articles to be voted on May 31, after a moderator is elected, include:

* Requests for authorization for the School Committee to expend money in 11 state-mandated categories -- regular instruction, special education, career and technical education, other instruction, student and staff support, system administration, school administration, transportation and buses, facilities maintenance, debt service and other commitments, and all other expenditures.

* A request to raise and appropriate more than $2 million as the local share required to obtain state funding -- the item that used to be known as the local foundation allocation, Budget Committee Chairman Robert Batteese commented.

* A request to raise and appropriate almost $889,000 in additional local funds without state matching money.

* A request to authorize the School Committee to spend the total 2008-09 budget of just under $7.8 million.

If voters approve the budget as presented on May 31 and again on June 2, the local property tax rate will probably increase by $1.25 or $1.30 for each $1,000 of assessed valuation, according to estimates by Town Manager Daniel L'Heureux and School Union 52 Assistant Superintendent and Director of Business Gary Smith.

The three selectmen present unanimously recommended voters approve the school budget request. Four of China's seven Budget Committee members then met and also endorsed the School Committee's requests.

In addition to the June 10 school budget validation referendum and state questions, China voters will have five local questions to decide. Selectmen preceded their meeting with a sparsely attended public hearing on all five questions.

Some 191 registered voters must check in Saturday morning, May 31, for the special meeting to be held; and 191 voters must come to the polls June 10 for decisions to be valid. June 10 voting will be 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Town Office.