Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

January 20

Augusta city manager: Tax hike, service cuts or both certain if state revenue-sharing cuts approved

'Gross insensitivity on the governor's part' would strip city of more than $2 million state dollars next fiscal year, William Bridgeo says

By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
State House Bureau

AUGUSTA — When you add it all up, the city of Augusta would lose somewhere north of $2 million from city and school budgets next year if Gov. Paul LePage's state budget is adopted as proposed.

City Manager William Bridgeo has composed a memo to city councilors giving some details about the effect of the proposed cuts:

• A $1.6 million annual loss because the city would receive no revenue sharing funds;

• Between $250,000 and $350,000 in additional cost because local schools would be required to pick up half the cost of teacher retirement contributions;

• The loss of about $115,000 because the state now wants to keep excise tax revenue from tractor trailers.

Those numbers do not include money that could be lost because the state is proposing to change a business tax reimbursement program and institute a cap on General Assistance reimbursements.

The combined city and school budget is about $51 million.

"So as you can see," Bridgeo wrote to councilors, "with gross insensitivity on the governor's part to the plight of Maine's 496 communities, we have entered into a fiscal crisis circumstance where council's options look to be dramatic increases in property tax rates (which I fully appreciate are a very bad thing) or cuts in valued services to a community that has already struggled in this regard over the past four years, or some 'worst of both worlds' combination of the two."

The numbers would double if calculated to reflect the state's two-year budget cycle.

Also, Bridgeo used the revenue sharing figure based on what the city received last year, which was 3.5 percent of sales and income tax revenue collected. Traditionally, the state has shared 5 percent with cities and towns. Figures released Friday by the Maine Municipal Association show that Augusta's two-year receipt of revenue sharing at the 5 percent rate would be more than $5 million.

For local property taxpayers under 65, other factors also could increase tax bills.

The state budget proposes to limit two property tax relief programs only to senior citizens, which will mean others who now get a discount would see their property taxes increase.

The state budget proposes to make the homestead exemption apply only to those over 65 or veterans. In Augusta, it's estimated that 2,800 people no longer will be able to get the exemption. Those who no longer would be eligible for it would pay 9 percent more in property taxes. Bridgeo's numbers show that an average single-family home in the city is valued at $123,000.

Also, LePage is proposing to eliminate the Maine Residents Property Tax and Rent Refund Program — commonly known as the "circuit breaker" — for anyone under age 65. This state-run program is for those whose property tax is more than 4 percent of household income or the rent they pay is more than 20 percent of household income. Bridgeo said he does not have statistics about how that would affect city residents, but he said Friday that "hundreds" of people who live in the city will lose benefits if the program is eliminated for everyone under 65.

Sawin Millett, LePage's budget commissioner, said during a recent budget briefing that the state is trying to deal with declining revenue and increasing costs at the Department of Health and Human Services. He said the governor included an extra $16.8 million in the budget, which is money he hopes will be applied to revenue sharing as lawmakers work out the details of the budget.

(Continued on page 2)

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