Pension costs, school budget increases and the addition of full-time EMS service are three issues driving a slight increase to Marion’s 2015 operating budget.

Voters will be asked to approve that budget, along with 45 warrant articles and one ballot question at Annual Town Meeting, scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on May 12 in Sippican Elementary School.

Marion Finance Committee Chair Alan Minard told Selectmen the town’s operating budget will be $19.9 million compared to last year, an increase of 2.7 percent.

“We’re still operating within the Proposition 2½ guidelines, and frankly, I’m amazed we’re able to do that for another year,” said Minard.

Proposition 2½ prevents towns from raising taxes more than 2.5 percent annually. Enacting a higher tax rate requires voter approval.

Minard said some departments were level funded this year while others were able to reduce their operating expenses, which contributed to the low increase.

Among the increases to the budget is $128,000 for pensions, which now total $812,600. The jump represents a 10 percent increase. According to Minard, the town is unable to reduce that cost.

“We have no say over that. The pension assessment is dictated to us by the Plymouth County Retirement Board,” he said.

Additional money is earmarked to fund the town’s EMS service, which is now staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Previously, on-call personnel were relied on. The change has cut the service’s response time considerably. However, Minard noted the improved service comes at a price. He said $113,000 is needed to fund EMS. With the better service Marion has been able to take more calls from neighboring towns.

“Hopefully, we’ll start to see some revenue from that,” Minard said.

In other areas, the Sippican School budget increased $25,000, which was smaller then expected. The Old Rochester Regional District budget, however, jumped $82,000. Minard said it was hard to tell how that money was being spent.

“I’m not sure exactly where the increases occurred,” he said. “It’s very difficult to figure that out by looking at their paperwork.”

At Town Meeting voters will also be asked to send a question to the ballot. The question, if approved, would purchase a pumper engine for the Fire Department.