The School Committee has voted to fight plans for a new Gloucester charter school, officially beginning a contest with the school's proponents to shape public opinion about the idea and influence the state officials who will determine its fate.

Calling the charter school a "train wreck" for the city, committee members Wednesday unanimously approved a resolution opposing the proposed Gloucester Community Arts Charter School because of a projected loss of more than $2 million in state aid each year that would go to the new school instead of the district.

The resolution, while supporting concepts espoused by the charter founders, including education choice and innovation, calls for Gov. Deval Patrick and the state education department to halt the creation of any new charter schools in Massachusetts, re-examine their effectiveness and then re-evaluate the way they are funded.

"Train wreck is a great way to put it. I don't see how we would ever dig out of that hole," Chairman Greg Verga said about what would happen to the existing schools if the charter was approved. "Bake sales won't make up $2.4 million dollars."

Superintendent Christopher Farmer, who has joined school chiefs across the state in warning of the potential damage to existing schools from charters, said the current charter system had the potential to marginalize traditional public schools into "schools of last resort."

"There is merit in the (charter) proposal as drafted, but I have to be concerned with opportunities for all children in the city," Farmer said. "If you take competition to its logical conclusion, public (district) schools become systems of last resort."

Charter schools are independently-run public schools funded with state dollars diverted from the districts the new schools draw students from. The diversion of funding losses to host districts is phased in over three years of the charter's opening.

The Gloucester Community Arts Charter School would have classes in kindergarten through eighth grade for 240 students — recently increased from 210 — open to Gloucester students through a lottery. The schools would have a middle school focus, with two classes in middle school grades and one class in each elementary grade.

The granting of charters ultimately lies with the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which will vote on the Gloucester proposal as well as two other applications in February.

In other cities and towns, the state Board has approved charter schools despite the protests of school officials and residents in those communities, as long as a sufficient demand for the new school exists there.

As the School Committee has formalized its opposition to the plan, the charter school founding group has taken its case for the new school to the public.

Peter Van Ness, spokesman for the group, said yesterday that a petition circulated in the last two weeks pledging support for the charter school had gained signatures of between 450 and 500 residents, mostly parents with children in district schools.

After holding a public information session on the proposal last month, the charter group is planning more meetings on their plan in the fall.

Van Ness said he was not surprised that the School Committee had taken a position against the charter school, but was disappointed that he was not allowed to speak at Wednesday's meeting and answer questions about the financial impact of the plan.

"I was honestly surprised that they took the vote without hearing from us," Van Ness said. "It was a vote against choice."

Responding to the School Committee's financial concerns, Van Ness yesterday said the district's projected $2.4 million annual loss from the charter school was likely overstated and school officials had failed to adequately take into account potential cost savings opportunities from having fewer students, especially considering the funding reimbursements in the first three years.

The amount of state aid that goes from a district to a charter is determined by a complex formula awarding dollars for each student who attends the charter.

The district and charter founding group have battled back and forth about what the cost would actually be. Van Ness has said a $9,995 per pupil charge based on state estimates is fair, but his group expects the real costs will turn out lower.

The amount of money the city will be able to save by having 240 fewer students to educate has been even more contentious.

Farmer said Wednesday that the number of students leaving the district, scattered throughout schools and classes, would probably not be sufficient to close whole classes or buildings, the primary way to cut costs.

But Van Ness yesterday said implementing changes like multi-age classrooms — something the district is now investigating — could allow the district to close classrooms, a benefit considering overcrowding concerns in some buildings.

"They are not exploring creative ways to make up the shift in funds," Van Ness said.

In addition to meetings being planned by the charter group, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will also hold meetings in Gloucester to discuss the proposal and gather public opinion in the next few months.

For some on the School Committee, weighing the benefits of the charter school against the potential costs to the existing schools had been challenging.

"I am torn," School Committee member Melissa Teixeira said. "I think the charter school is a good idea, but I can't imagine where we will get the money."

Patrick Anderson can be reached at panderson@gloucestertimes.com.