Gardiner elected officials are expected to vote to approve a spending plan that trims some spending, delays some purchases and payments, or cuts items out altogether when they meet Wednesday.

Two weeks ago, city councilors reviewed a series of changes to Gardiner’s proposed spending plan that shaved $164,221 from the total, knocking it down to $6,025,000. Although the property tax rate has not yet been calculated, it’s expected to be $22.20 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, an increase of 80 cents per $1,000 — or 3.74% — from the current rate of $21.40 per $1,000.

From the outset of the budget review season, Christine Landes, the Gardiner city manager, has cautioned elected officials that most of the increases in the budget were from external factors out of the city’s control, including workers’ compensation rate increases, the increased cost of dispatching through the state’s Regional Communication Center as well as benefits and negotiated pay raises.

Municipal officials from across Maine have been watching what the Maine State Legislature will do with state revenue sharing, which sends a portion of the sales tax it collects to municipalities. By law, the rate of revenue sharing was set at 5%, but in recent years, the state has opted to cut what it sends to municipalities to address its own budget issues. As a result, city and town elected officials have in many cases made cuts and changes to reflect that reduction in revenue.

The state budget presented by Gov. Janet Mills proposed setting that rate at 2.5%, but the spending plan state legislators passed last week that the governor has signed set the rate at 3%.

Landes said Monday that move is expected to add more than $106,000 to city coffers, bringing the the total to $638,427. That unanticipated revenue could be applied to the property tax commitment, which would not change the mil rate much. It could be put in a designated fund to apply to next year’s tax commitment, or it could go into the city’s undesignated fund balance and replenish some of what was tapped for the upcoming budget year or pay off some outstanding debt.

The City Council approved the budget’s first read and voted to send it to a second and final read on Wednesday.

Councilors are also expected to:

• Conduct a public hearing and consider a continuation of the Medical Marijuana Retail Storefront Moratorium;

• Conduct a public hearing and consider a liquor license renewal for Canton Village;

• Consider approving a resolution to establish the fiscal year 2020 for the city’s Ambulance and Wastewater enterprise funds;

• Consider setting tax due dates, the interest rate on delinquent accounts and authorize the Tax Club program;

• Consider approving $9,500 in carry-forward requests for spending money approved in the current fiscal year to the fiscal year starting July 1;

• Consider approving victualer’s licenses for Two Gramps Brewing and A1 Diner;

• Consider a proposal to purchase a new radio system for the Gardiner Police Department, not to exceed $50,000, to cure problems with radio reception;

• Review the economic development director job description and duties; and

• Accept the meeting minutes of the May 22 and June 5 meetings.

The Gardiner City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the City Council chamber at 6 Church St.

Copy the Story Link