Orange residents voted overwhelmingly Wednesday in a referendum to pass the budget offered by town officials for the coming year.
The unofficial total was 348 to 31. Three of the “yes” votes came via absentee ballot.
The vote approved both the town and public education budgets. Although spending went up in both categories, growth in the grand list allowed mill rate to be lowered from 33.28 to 32.38. Further complicating matters, though, is a recently-completed property revaluation that raised many home values. A slight majority of residents will therefore see a tax increase from the previous year.
The Amity Regional District No. 5 budget was approved in a separate referendum earlier in May.