GARDINER — City Councilors are expected to take their final vote on the proposed fiscal year 2017 budget following a final public hearing Wednesday on the spending plan.
Here are the particulars as the proposal now stands:
The total city budget is $9,975,980.68.
The city’s share of the budget is $5,977,444.58. Of that, the majority is the operating budget of $4.77 million, which is down 2.1 percent from the current year’s budget. The balance is the capital budget of $1.2 million; roughly half of that is dedicated to one-time expenses and won’t recur in future budgets.
The Kennebec County assessment for Gardiner is $322,495.47.
The budget for School Administrative Unit 11 is $3,667,691.30. On May 31, voters approved the budget at the validation meeting and voters in the district, including Gardiner, approved the budget referendum.
The overlay is $8,349.33; the overlay is an amount raised to avoid fractions in the tax rate. At the end of the year, that money goes to the city’s fund balance.
Cuts to the municipal portion would bring down the tax rate by 25 cents. The increases at the county and school district levels increase the tax rate by 45 cents. The net increase to taxpayers is 20 cents, taking the current tax rate from $21.60 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $21.80 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. Nearly half of the taxpayers will receive a tax cut of some sort. The biggest cut is anticipated to be $108; the median is $87.
For residents and businesses that receive a tax increase, it’s expected to be relatively small — less than $20 for residents and less than $47 for businesses.
City councilors will also:
• consider a buyback of tax foreclosed properties
• have a discussion with Kennebec County Sheriff Ryan Reardon on the Kennebec County jail budget
• consider approving a building mural
• consider sewer abatements
• consider accepting transfer of forfeiture assets
• consider a special event permit for a fundraiser for Jeff McCormick, owner of Gerard’s Pizza, who has been diagnosed with cancer.
• consider board and committee appointments.
Jessica Lowell — 621-5632
Twitter: @JLowellKJ
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