Preston — The Board of Finance approved a combined school and town budget of $15.9 million, with a 2-mill tax increase late Thursday following a 2½-hour budget public hearing.

The board approved an $11.3 million proposed school budget, cutting $56,000, or 0.5 percent, from the original request, and a $3.4 million general town government budget.

The board also approved a debt service budget of $801,074 and a miscellaneous total of $343,983, including grant-funded road work and for revaluation.

The finance board cut a total of $29,638, including $20,000 from the public works budget and also incorporated savings in health insurance costs, Board of Finance Chairman Norman Gauthier said.

The Board of Finance also reduced raises for town employees by 1 percent from the levels recommended by First Selectman Robert Congdon.

Employees who receive health insurance through the town would receive a 2 percent raise, and those who do not receive health insurance would receive 1.5 percent in the finance board's budget.

The cuts save a total of about $10,000, Congdon said.

He objected to the raise reduction. Those on the health insurance plan have agreed to pay a higher co-payment, Congdon said, saving the town $20,000 even before the raises were cut.

The finance board used $400,000 from the town's healthy $2.4 million surplus to reduce the tax increase.

But the budget, which will be presented to voters at a Town Meeting on May 5 and sent to a referendum, would require a tax rate of 25.06 mills, a 2.06-mill increase over this year's tax rate of 23 mills.

Part of the discussion at the lengthy budget hearing centered on the town's two resident state troopers.

The cost is expected to jump from $239,613 this year to $322,650 in 2016-17, as the state shifts more costs for salaries and benefits to the town.

Congdon was asked about possible alternatives, and he told the estimated 60 residents at the hearing that he has had preliminary discussions with both Norwich and Ledyard about having their police departments patrol in Preston.

Congdon said both police departments “reached out” to Preston to discuss a potential partnership.

He said there is no timetable set for the discussions, but he hopes to have information early in the next fiscal year. Calling it a major “cultural change” for the town, Congdon said he would recommend the issue be brought to a town meeting for discussion.

Resident Andy Depta, who presented the Board of Finance with a detailed list of suggested budget cuts, called for reducing the budget to one resident trooper, cutting $159,175 from that line item.

But the Board of Finance voted at its meeting to keep the two resident troopers in the budget.

The Board of Finance also voted to restore $6,000 of the $12,000 the board initially cut in the Parks and Recreation Department budget to control Canada geese at Preston Community Park.

Recreation Director Amy Brosnan said the geese have not returned to the park yet this spring.

Cutting the school budget request by a half percent would mean a $56,000 cut.

The finance board first voted on that cut at a special meeting March 31. The Board of Education at its meeting Monday considered absorbing the cut by eliminating bus transportation for students attending magnet and charter schools in the region.

Superintendent John Welch said four of the towns that have Norwich Free Academy as their designated high school do not provide transportation to charter and magnet schools, while the other four do provide the service.

The board delayed action on the proposal until after the school budget is finalized.

c.bessette@theday.com