Buxton residents will be voting on changes to town ordinances and a $5.3 million municipal budget at the annual town meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Town Hall.
According to Jean Harmon, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen, the proposed municipal budget is $5.3 million, up 6.1 percent above this year’s $4.9 million budget.
The county tax for next year is $337,000, up 4.8 percent over this year’s $321,000. Buxton’s share of the school budget is $5.2 million, representing an increase of $287,720 over this year’s $4.9 million, a 5.9 percent increase. The School Administrative District 6 total budget next year is $40.3 million, up $1.4 million from this year, a 3.6 percent increase.
With the budget up for possible amendments by voters on Saturday and with property valuations incomplete, there is no final tax rate available. Based on available valuations and the proposed budget, Selectman Bob Libby estimated the rate could increase next year from the current $9.40 per thousand to $9.90.
Libby said depending on what voters approve on Saturday, and what final valuations come in at, he expects the rate could come in closer to $9.40 than $9.90. If the rate is $9.90, taxes on a $200,000 home would increase to $1,980, up $100 over this year.
There are a total of 93 articles in the 2008 warrant. With articles 1 through 7 having been voted on during the Tuesday primary, 86 articles remain for action. Sixty of those articles include appropriations.
Each appropriations article lists the amount of money requested for a department or item expenditure, the amount of money recommended by the Board of Selectmen and the amount of money recommended by the Budget Committee.
Libby said there are probably a few things in the budget the town can do without, and he thinks voters will probably take those items out on Saturday.
Some of the articles that either the Board of Selectmen or the Budget Committee have requested be funded at a lower rate than requested include:
• Article 15: Insurance and benefits. The Budget Committee recommended reducing the requested $435,000 by $12,000. The Board of Selectmen recommended full funding.
• Article 32: Fire and Rescue wages. The Board of Selectmen recommended reducing the requested $700,000 by $28,000; the Budget Committee recommended reducing the request by $44,000.
• Article 35: Fire and Rescue generators. The Budget Committee recommended reducing the requested $38,000 by $23,000, suggesting one generator be purchased each year for the next three years, rather than three at once. The Board of Selectmen recommended full funding.
• Article 36: Fire Chief vehicle. The Budget Committee recommend reducing the requested $25,000 to $0. The Board of Selectmen recommended full funding.
• Article 43: Relocating Public Safety’s “radio repeater” tower. The Budget Committee recommended reducing the requested $13,000 to $0. The Board of Selectmen recommended full funding.
Town voters will also be asked on Saturday to review ordinance changes, including a new definition of “church,” revised regulations on the issuance of building permits and access roads, and more stringent regulations on parking lot lighting. There is also an ordinance change that would require mobile homes be removed from properties that have a new home built on them.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
