YARMOUTH — Town voters will be asked to approve a $31 million budget at the annual town meeting Tuesday, a move that would increase property taxes by about 1.8 percent.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Harrison Middle School, 220 McCartney St.
Even though the budget includes a tax increase, no one spoke in opposition to it during public hearings earlier this spring.
"But we did get feedback on it through other channels, by e-mails or at the grocery store," Town Manager Nat Tupper said.
The budget does not include any major changes in services, cuts in programs or layoffs, Tupper said.
The municipal spending portion of the budget proposal, about $10.7 million, is down about 1 percent from last year's budget. The school portion, about $19.4 million, is up about 1.85 percent.
On a separate budget-related item, voters will be asked to set aside $418,000 to help stabilize the tax rate in the 2010-11 budget. Tupper said that is being proposed because of federal stimulus money that was directed to the town through the state this year.
Tupper said that next year, town officials project the school budget will take a "$600,000 hit" when the stimulus money runs out. So to try to prevent a major budget shortfall, they are recommending that the money be set aside now.
Even though the town budget will be voted on at the town meeting, the school portion of the budget cannot be adopted until it is voted on a second time, during town elections June 9.
For a list of all the articles to be taken up at the town meeting, plus a copy of the proposed budget, go to the town's Web site, www.yarmouth.me.us.
Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:
rrouthier@pressherald.com
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