MECHANIC FALLS — The Town Council and Budget Committee will hold a public hearing on next year’s proposed municipal budget at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 30, in the council chambers at the Municipal Building on Lewiston Street.

The proposed budget for the town’s fiscal year beginning July 1 stands at $2.4 million, more than $200,000 higher than this year’s budget.

Driving the higher budget are requests for substantial increases in the amount of money being set aside for reserve accounts and capital improvement projects.

Reserve accounts set for infusions of capital include $71,000 for fire/rescue apparatus, $27,000 for public works equipment and $16,000 for police vehicles.

Capital improvement projects include $50,000 to repair the Municipal Building roof, which was severely damaged in a November wind storm, and $31,000 earmarked for Mitchell Street.

Spending requests for individual municipal departments remain little changed from the amounts approved for this year’s budget.

If approved at this level, property taxes are projected to increase by nearly $150 on a house assessed at $100,000.

Following the public hearing, both the Town Council and the Budget Committee will vote on recommendations that will go to the general public in a referendum vote scheduled for June 10.