RUMFORD – If all money articles pass at Monday’s annual town meeting, residents will raise $6,655,281 for operation of the town, up from last year’s figure of $6.5 million.
The annual event begins at 7 p.m. Monday in Muskie Auditorium of Mountain Valley High School. Residents will also be asked to appropriate $378,655 for a variety of social service and recreation requests.
But first, before residents tackle other articles, they will consider Article 34. That could make a difference.
Town Manager Steve Eldridge said that article, if passed, allows the town to raise about $180,000 more than the state says it should.
He said that according to a state formula applied after L.D. 1 was passed last year, the town should raise about $120,000 more than the current year’s budget. To keep all current programs, services and employees, about $300,000 must be raised, he said.
L.D. 1 is a law that aims to reduce property taxes. If Article 34 isn’t passed, Eldridge said some of the money articles will have to be revisited and their amounts possibly reduced.
Causing most of the increase in the 2005-06 municipal budget are significant hikes in health and liability insurance premiums and the cost of heating and vehicle fuel.
Also, the town is asking for creation of a half-time code enforcement officer at a cost of about $19,000, and a $10,000 increase in the economic development budget that will allow a downtown revitalization study, bringing the economic development budget to $37,000.
“This is a realistic budget for what we provide for services and programs,” said Eldridge.
The town’s current tax rate is $18.60 per $1,000 valuation. The rate for next year will be set in August. It will depend upon the SAD 43 budget and the town’s valuation. Residents pay the first half of their tax commitment by Oct. 1, and the second half by April 1.
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