TURNER – As houses continue to be built and new families move to this rural community in large numbers, some in government question whether it’s a financial plus or minus for the town.

Now, one answer is in – it’s fiscally good.

The Planning Board, after asking this question for several years, commissioned a fiscal impact study. It focused on three proposed subdivisions currently before the Planning Board. The study compared taxes and other revenues that would be generated by the new residents to the cost of providing necessary municipal services, public safety and education.

The study by Planning Decisions of South Portland concludes that the three projects will generate revenue between $440,000 and $600,000 between 2003 and 2008. Increased costs associated the total of 134 new households would be approximately $330,000 in that same time. That means a positive net impact to the town of between $110,000 and $270,000.

The conclusions of the study, however, went beyond pure numbers to delve into some trends that were observed within the town. Those trends, the study says, could have a much larger future impact on the town than any specific development.

3 trends in Turner

The first trend is the rising cost of non-educational expenditures. Turner, the study says, appears to be approaching a point where new demands for public works, public safety and governmental services will require significant jumps in expenditures. This is directly related to new equipment, more staff and police services. Turner currently relies on the state police and sheriff’s department for law enforcement.

The second trend is the rising cost of education. The study says the rise is due in large part to salaries and benefits that will increase as staff moves up the seniority ladder. Salaries and benefits currently make up about 80 percent of the school budget.

The third trend is that new students in the schools will add less costs than the current average cost per pupil. Therefore, new housing developments shouldn’t be viewed as a primary reason for the rising educational costs.

The three developments included in the study are:

• Pleasant Pond, 14 house lots from two to nine acres on a 55-acre plot with one public road.

• Wilderness Run on Route 219 in North Turner, an open-space development encompassing 93 acres. Of that acreage, there would be 38 one-acre house lots and 55 acres would remain open and common land, with both public and private roads in the development.

• Bear Pond, a 125-acre condominium project with 42 buildings housing 84 units and with commonly owned areas and all private roads.

The number of lots or units on each of these projects could change during the Planning Board review process.

Major uncertainties’

Town Manager Jim Catlin said all three of these projects represent “high-end” development, and the figures could have been quite different with lower-cost lots and units.

The study was designed to be used in the future by the Planning Board.

Turner is the largest of the suburban communities in the greater Lewiston-Auburn area. The town has had a 35 percent increase in housing over the past nine years, with the value of taxable property increasing 51 percent. Expenditures for municipal services increased 91 percent over that same period, resulting in a 40 percent cost rise on average per household.

Planning Decisions noted that the estimates used for the study should be considered in light of “three major uncertainties – the future trend of real estate prices, the implementation of the state’s commitment to 55 percent education funding and the upcoming property tax-cap initiative.”

The study will be a topic of discussion for both the Planning Board and the Economic Development Committee during upcoming meetings.