Androscoggin County commissioners approved several reductions to the proposed $23.8 million spending plan for 2026, cutting $100,000 by freezing cruiser purchases, eliminating an administrative assistant position, and trimming support for Kaydenz Kitchen, county Administrator Jeff Chute said.

Commissioners cut in half a request for $100,000 from Kaydenz Kitchen in Lewiston, Chute said. The kitchen provides food assistance to help those in need.

Several smaller reductions were also made before the budget was finalized on Nov. 19.

As it stands, the spending plan is $12.4 million for county government and $11.3 million for the jail. The latter reflects about a $2 million, or 25%, increase from the current budget. Of that amount, $700,000 is to board inmates at other jails because of overcrowding in the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn.

After factoring in nearly $6.6 million in anticipated revenue, the amount to be raised through taxation is $17.1 million, a nearly 12.6% increase, or $1.9 million more than what was raised for the current budget.

The tax rate will be set in 2026 once the state issues the state valuations for each town in the county, Chute said. Then the tax bills will be sent out to the towns.