OAKLAND — Revenue is up this year for the town, meaning no property tax increase for the coming year as residents head to Town Meeting on Tuesday to vote on a $4.47 million municipal budget.
The meeting and voting on the 22-article town warrant is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Messalonskee High School Performing Arts Center.
Oakland Town Manager Gary Bowman said the town is in good financial shape.
“We have no big-ticket surprises at all,” Bowman said Friday. “We’ve had an extremely good year financially this year. The tax increase from the municipal side will be zero.”
Bowman said if all articles pass Tuesday night, the current budget of $4.35 million adopted at last year’s Town Meeting is expected to increase by about $142,000, or about 3.9 percent; but with a revenue increase of 5.1 percent from taxes on new construction in town, there will be no tax increases.
Municipal spending is not expected to change the current tax rate of $15.10 for every $1,000 in property valuation. The final tax rate will not be known until the school budget is passed and the county tax is assessed.
Bowman said the town was able to absorb the $87,500 mortgage for the new police station and had a surplus of $65,000 that is being used to off set capital expenditures.
In voting Tuesday night at Town Meeting, residents will be asked to approve $584,748 for general government for the coming year, $128,744 for the public library and $134,541 for recreation accounts.
Oakland voters also will be asked to spend from taxation $274,325 for Oakland Fire and Rescue and $714,474 for the Police Department. Both accounts are down slightly from the current year.
Other proposed spending on the Town Meeting warrant includes $376,023 for protection services, such as code enforcement and public safety services. In the budget line for public works and road improvement, the warrant calls for zero money from taxation, with revenue from excise taxes, some tax increment financing proceeds and state road money picking up the total tab of $960,259.
The Town Council and the Budget Committee recommend spending $13,250 on various community service organizations, such as the homeless shelter and the food bank, for the coming year, with most accounts remaining the same as the current year. Only the Boys/Girls Club & YMCA is listed for zero dollars this year.
Oakland finance director Doug Mather said the combined club in Waterville did not request money from Oakland this year. Last year the town raised $500 for the clubs.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
Copy the Story LinkComments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
