After chopping $133,729 from their original $34.8 million budget proposal, District 13 Board of Education members were delighted to exclaim to each other, "We have a budget" after the referendum vote ended at 8 p.m. today.

It might have been the chopping, but certainly the extra 448 voters who came out for the second referendum had something to do with the turnaround. This time, the budget passed 813-530 in Durham, which was able to overcome a much smaller defeat in Middlefield, 401-438.

Three weeks ago, the budget had been passed in Durham, but more narrowly, 611-485. Middlefield's defeat by a vote of 247-391 sent the total package down by 18 votes.

This time, the margin of passage was 247.

Superintendent of Schools Sue Viccaro said after the totals were announced that she attributed the budget passage to "parents making the effort to talk to one another and get out the vote."