Auburn residents will have their first opportunity to weigh in on the proposed 2027 city budget Monday during a public hearing. The budget would otherwise keep the tax levy nearly flat if not for an increase in debt costs approved by voters.

The city’s overall proposed budget, including the school and Androscoggin County budgets, is $137.9 million million. Of that, $63.8 million will come from property taxation.

The proposed tax increase is $5.6 million more than the this year’s $58.2 million, a 9.7% increase.

Roughly $5.5 million of that covers rising debt service costs resulting from school and city bonds approved by voters, City Manager Phil Crowell said at the April 21 City Council meeting. Debt service costs are fixed and the councilors cannot reduce them.

The budget put forward preserves the current level of city services; it does not add any new staff positions or city programs, according to Crowell. Early on in the budgeting process, councilors made it clear to Crowell they wanted him to keep a budget increase as low as possible.

Crowell first put forward a proposed budget that, along with the school and county budgets, which the council has no control over, would have increased the total tax increase by 12.9%.

At the council’s request, he showed them what cuts to city services would have to be made to cap the increase at roughly 7.5%. Councilors were uncomfortable with the cuts. After several budget workshops, Crowell and councilors settled on the current proposal.

Councilors will consider the budget on first reading Monday night but can still make changes. The public hearing will take place during the meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. Residents can give comment during the meeting in the council chamber starting at 7 p.m. or submit written comments via email to [email protected].