AUBURN – The latest 2005 draft budget from the Androscoggin County Commission will be presented to the Budget Committee tonight.

The new draft came after the Budget Committee rejected the $7,483,730 proposal Nov. 9 and sent it back to the County Commission with instructions to whittle it down to last year’s amount.

The latest proposal of $6,685,877 calls for a 2.81 percent increase in the amount to be raised by taxation over the 2004 level.

County Commission Chairman Elmer Berry said the forced cuts follow a trend with budget committees. “It’s definitely going to affect services to the towns. We have not gone to bare bones. We have gone beyond bare bones,” he said.

County Treasurer Robert Poulin said cost of living increases must be built into budgets. The forced reductions eliminate allowances for cost increases over previous years. “We’re less than the cost of living,” Poulin said.

The reduction between the first and second drafts of the budget is $196,520. About 72.8 percent is of that amount, or $143,040, is for county law enforcement and jail operations. Two line items total $61,500 for the operation of the Androscoggin County Jail and $81,540 for Sheriff’s Department administrative and law enforcement operations.

Last week the committee declined to take action on a scheduled review of the jail budget, after Lisbon Selectman Michael Bowie, a member of the Budget Committee, said he wanted to give both department heads and the commissioners an opportunity to reduce spending.

The Budget Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22; meet at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 and Dec. 8; and hold additional public hearings, if necessary, at 6 p.m. Dec. 15 and 22. All meetings and hearings will be held at the courthouse and are open to the public.

The nine-member committee is chaired by Paul Labrecque of Lewiston. Other members are Renee Bernier, Lewiston; Daniel Blanchard, Mechanic Falls; Michael Bowie, Lisbon; Philippe Moreau, Greene; Bruce Nadeau, Auburn; Robert Pontbriand, Auburn; Dennis Roderick, Lewiston; and Herbert Reed, Lisbon.