BIDDEFORD — Tonight the public will get a chance to ask questions and make comments about the city’s proposed $55.5 million budget for fiscal year 2009-10. A public hearing on the proposed budget will be held at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
The proposed expenditures for the $55.5 million budget include approximately $23 million for the city government side, $30.5 million for K-12 education, $586,000 for adult education and $1.2 million for county taxes.
The budget that residents will be discussing tonight represents a 0.08 percent decrease from last year in expenditures.
As proposed, revenues of $20.6 million would be raised through methods other than property taxes, leaving a total of $34.8 million to be raised through the property tax.
One major proposed increase is for more than $200,000 for the Fire Department to purchase protective clothing for fire personnel.
One decrease, of more than $500,000 to the Public Works budget, would result in less road work being done, which Councilor Clement Fleurent said he was concerned about.
If passed as is, the proposed budget would not require an increase in the property tax rate. The rate would remain at $14.78 per $1,000 of assessed property value, the same rate as the current fiscal year.
Because of the current economic conditions, the council had requested that next year’s budget not increase property owners’ taxes for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2010.
This directive has been challenging, according to City Manager John Bubier, because other revenue streams, such as the amount collected from excise taxes and the amount anticipated in state revenue sharing, are down.
In addition, expenses for workers’ compensation, health insurance and overtime increased the budget by approximately $450,000, stated Bubier.
The budget expenditures are also predicated on expenses for city and school employees, whose contracts are up for renewal this year, deferring wage increases in the upcoming fiscal year.
At the request of the Budget Committee, the budget proposal also reflects no increase in the sewer user fee rate.
On March 30 the Budget Committee, which is comprised of all members of the City Council, with the mayor as chair, held its first budget workshop.
Changes can still take place before final approval of the budget.
On Thursday, the night the budget was approved to go to public hearing, Councilor Rick Laverriere noted that he was holding off his proposed changes until after hearing from the public at tonight’s meeting.
The first reading of the budget for city and county portions is scheduled for May 11, first reading on the proposed school budget is May 14. Final approval of the combined budget is scheduled for May 18. On May 28, a public referendum will be held on the school budget.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@gwi.net.
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