TURNER — Voters at Saturday’s annual town meeting will choose from among three budget proposals, none of which will effect property taxes much, Town Manager Kurt Schaub said.

The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Boofy Quimby Memorial Center.

Election of two selectmen, one SAD 52 director and three Budget Committee members, all for three-year terms, will be held Friday. Polling stations will be open from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Town Office, 11 Turner Center Road.

The Budget Committee recommends a budget of $2.67 million, an increase of $20,680 over this fiscal year. Selectmen recommend $2.69 million, which is a $36,331.00 increase.

The third option is the requests made by town department.

Last year’s approved budget was $2.65 million. 

“There are some subtle differences in the individual departmental lines, but the principal difference is in the capital/reserve account area, where the Budget Committee recommendation is $15,000 lower,” Schaub said.

“We continue to see modest increases in motor vehicle excise tax collections and other revenues that relate strictly to municipal operations,” Schaub said. “Those should be sufficient to offset the modest rise in town spending.”

The town’s property tax rate is $15.90 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Turner’s county taxes will increase by $22,000. The town’s share of SAD 52’s budget is unknown now.

“The SAD 52 board of directors is presently wrestling with a sizable reduction in state aid for education which may well result in a tax rate increase,” Schaub said, “Thus, it’s more crucial than ever that residents follow that process and participate in the district’s budget process.”

Also on the warrant Saturday are proposed zoning changes. The Board of Selectmen recommends increasing the number of homes allowed on a dead-end street from 15 to 30.

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