As an Auburn taxpayer, I prefer that my taxes stay as low as possible. If they do increase, I believe the increases in municipal and school tax levies should be the same.

Based on current budget proposals for Auburn, the local tax levy for the municipal budget will be $2.77 million higher than five years ago. The local tax levy for the school department would represent an increase of $1.99 million over the same time period.

This represents an increase in the municipal tax levy equal to $775,000 more than the increase in the school tax levy. Highlighting the difference, 56 percent of my tax bill this year went to the municipal budget and only 36 percent went to the school department budget. The remainder goes to the county.

Next year’s tax bill will be no different. The municipal budget may only show an increase of 1.68 percent overall, but the increase in municipal taxes will still be higher than the tax increase coming from the school department. Based on the proposed mill rates, a home valued at $150,000 will see an increase of $133 from the municipal government and a $127 increase from the school department. The county levy will be increased by $11.

I think the City Council, School Committee and Auburn citizens need to create more equality within local tax commitments for the municipality and school department. Neither should be increasing more than the other, and the split in my tax bill should be closer to 50/50, not 60/40.

Evan Cyr, Auburn

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