LEWISTON — Councilors passed the city’s $64.75 million municipal budget Tuesday night, an increase that will run taxpayers 9.47% or about $5.6 million more than this fiscal year, which ends June 30.

The council also approved the $111.47 million Lewiston Public Schools budget to go to voters. The increase runs 9.29% more, or $9.48 million, than last year.

The combined budgets of $176.22 million represent a tax rate of $33 per $1,000 of a property’s assessed valuation. Most of the $3 increase comes from the school budget, which accounts for $2.39; municipal budget increases account for 42 cents and the remaining 19 cents comes from county assessment.

The $33 rate would increase the tax on a home valued at $200,000 by $600.

The initial hearing on the budget, held Thursday, drew concerns over general funding as the city undergoes a revaluation slated for implementation in 2027.

Several residents aired concerns that the increase is pricing longtime Lewiston residents out of their homes. Resident Pauline Gudas said there is too much investment going downtown or to nonprofits and not elsewhere in the city.

“Very little money is spent out of Ward 4,” Gudas said. “There are very few recreation areas the city puts money into. We’re part of the invisible community. City infrastructure should get millions.”

Resident Pierre Renaud suggested voters turn out May 14 to vote down the Lewiston Public Schools budget and send the city back to the drawing board.

“This was an incredibly difficult budget season this year, but working within the constraints that we had, and the hard choices that needed to be made, we crafted a budget that invests in the city’s economic future,” Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said in an email. “I realize that a 10% property tax increase places a substantial burden on our homeowners and I appreciate the public’s support as the council and city staff work to make Lewiston the best city in Maine.”

One of the more contentious items, the elimination of a safety monitor position at Lewiston Public Library, drew comments from several residents. The position, which has remained vacant for 36 of the past 42 weeks, was a planned concession, according to Director Joseph Houston last week. Contracted security, brought on temporarily due to troubles keeping two monitors on staff, was instead entered into the budget as a permanent position.

Sheline and council President Scott Harriman argued last week that the position should stay in the budget. Harriman said the decision to eliminate the position may be shortsighted. On Tuesday, Tu Biederman, chairman of the library’s board of directors, and others continued to argue the position is needed for the safety and wellbeing of library staff and patrons.

Harriman and Councilor Joshua Nagine criticized Sheline for attributing the absence of the monitor’s position to the council as a cut from the proposed budget. The position was excluded by the library’s proposed budget in favor of securing a contract for a security officer in place of the monitor.

The council passed an amendment adding the monitor position back into the budget, drawing the $15,413 cost from appropriated non-tax revenue. Councilor Tim Gallant was the only one to dissent, saying the investment in a position the library may not be able to fill, and one the library was willing to let go, was ill-advised.

The council narrowly passed a memorandum of understanding between the city and United Ambulance Service. Originally set to drop the 50/50 share of state funds, the council opted to keep the memorandum as it exists while waiving the city’s 2024 share.

Councilors also approved an ad hoc committee for establishing a homeless shelter to provide wraparound care for the homeless. Amendments to the proposal included changes to language which will task the committee with refining needs, designating shelter oversight to the city or its designee and several other details ensuring the effective operation of a large shelter.

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