MEXICO – Town Manager John Madigan isn’t ready yet to make any predictions on the change in the upcoming municipal budget from the current one.

The board set a series of meetings with the Budget Committee to begin work on the 2007-08 budget at their meeting last week.

He said the town is currently operating on a $2,160,560 budget, along with $829,831 to SAD 43 and $65,539 in Oxford County taxes.

The current tax rate is $23.65 per $1,000 valuation.

“I don’t see anything new and expect to keep the current level of services,” he said.

Residents for the first time will vote by referendum ballot on the proposed municipal budget instead of at a traditional town meeting setting when they vote in June. Voters approved the change last year.

Madigan said he expects voters will decide on 11 money articles, and one, known as the sunset provision, that will determine whether referendum ballot will set the municipal budget again in 2008. He said the referendum ballot must be reaffirmed each year.

If it is not, then the town will return to a town meeting format. Voters will also choose two selectmen and two SAD 43 school board members.

The budget meeting schedule begins on March 8 with the Budget Committee. Other meetings are set for March 15, March 20, March 22, and April 3, when the board and committee will hear agency requests. All meetings take place from 6-8 p.m. in the town hall.

Once a preliminary budget has been worked out, Madigan said the first of two public informational meetings will be held.

The second will take place at least 10 days prior to the June 12 vote.

In other matters at last week’s meeting, the board unanimously voted to dedicate the annual town report to Donald O’Leary.

Now deceased, O’Leary had served the town as a selectman and planning board member, as well as serving the state as a senator.

The photo on the cover will show the town’s newly finished gazebo at the rear of the town hall.