LEWISTON – Voters could see a budget-trimming proposal aimed at the city’s solid waste service on a special July ballot, officials said Thursday

City Administrator Jim Bennett said details of the plan are still being formed, but he told city councilors Thursday that he should have a proposal to discuss by their May 8 meeting.

“Right now, the challenge is put something together that’s consistent with state law,” Bennett said.

Bennett said Thursday that the plan would trim $1 from the city’s property tax rate for the next fiscal year, but he declined to release details because he doesn’t have them.

He did say it would be different from a landfill privatization plan the council adopted two years ago. State environmental officials put a halt to that proposal, fearing it would bring out-of-state garbage into Lewiston’s landfill.

Any new plan would meet state rules, keep out-of-state garbage from the Lewiston landfill and follow guidelines set by a city solid waste task force.

“Most importantly, it would have to be supported by a majority of the voters,” Bennett said.

He recommended adopting a spending plan by the June 1 budget deadline. Voters would take up the solid waste issue in July. If it passes, councilors would work to quickly amend the budget before setting the final property tax rate.

“But right now, I need to meet with staff and put a concrete plan together,” Bennett said. “At this point, I’m not even sure if I’ll have anything concrete for you, folks.”

The discussion came at the end of a budget workshop meeting between the City Council and staffers.

Bennett unveiled another $630,931 in general fund budget savings. They included belt tightening in several departments and $255,000 in lowered interest costs by refinancing some city debt.

Bennett also asked to reduce the budget by $100,000, saying he’d find savings by sharing services with Auburn.

Combined with $170,400 in budget costs transferred to the School Department and a staff reorganization he unveiled on Tuesday, Bennett said the newest cuts would trim $1.48 million from his proposed budget increase. Municipal spending would still increase by $2.14 million, and that would boost the tax rate by $1.24 per $1,000 value. The city’s tax rate would be up $2.21 per $1,000 of value without the cuts, however.

“So far, I think we’ve been able to find savings without changing service for any citizens,” Bennett said. “To go deeper, I think we’re going to have to reduce services or cut full-time staff.”

Councilors will continue their budget deliberations at the May 8 workshop meeting.