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AUGUSTA

Budget lighter on cuts

Manager proposes 2 percent tax increase

By Keith Edwards kedwards@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA -- The city manager's proposed budget cuts six staff positions, preserves the current staffing of Lithgow Library and raises taxes 2 percent.

It would also, if approved by councilors, include $167,000 in spending from the $1.5 million in proceeds from the sale of the former Cony High School. About $42,000 of that would be in interest, with an additional $125,000 coming out of the $1.5 million.

City staff, other than uniformed police and fire personnel, would once again be required to take eight unpaid shutdown days. And the budget includes no funds to provide raises to city staff, most of whom are covered by labor contracts which expire in June.

The proposed 2 percent tax increase would bring the city's tax rate from $16.70 to $17.04 per thousand dollars of property value.

City Manager William Bridgeo noted the city's tax rate "has not gone up in the last three years." He said the average homeowner in the city is paying less in property taxes now than in 2000.

Bridgeo said the city could get about $1.5 million less in state revenue than the current year.

However that picture has improved slightly, as state revenue projections have increased.

About a month ago, Bridgeo presented the City Council with several major potential funding cuts, including additional staffing reductions at Lithgow Library, closing Bicentennial Nature Park, charging for garbage pick-up and eliminating the city's animal control officer. None of those cuts are in the currently proposed budget, however.

"I was very worried that the economic climate would mandate cuts that deeply impacted some of the things we take the most pride in as a community," Bridgeo said in his "manager's message" delivered to councilors with the budget Thursday. "It now appears some of those program reductions, but certainly not all, can be avoided with a modest tax rate increase. Thus, I project we will keep Bicentennial Park and neighborhood pools open, maintain our community gardens and flower plantings, maintain staffing levels at Lithgow Library, the mechanic position in the fire department, weekly garbage collection, the police department's animal control program..."

However that does not mean the budget is without cuts.

Six city staff positions would be eliminated, although four of those are already vacant. The two currently filled positions which would be eliminated are a public works truck driver and an assistant planner.

The vacant eliminated positions are one of two staff positions at Old Fort Western, deputy city clerk, a General Assistance caseworker and a police officer.

The Old Fort Western position became vacant when former director and curator Jay Adams resigned to work for the Pine Tree State Arboretum, leaving only one full-time staffer there.

Not filling Adams' position saves the city about $60,000.

However, Bridgeo acknowledged, the cut will impact the capacity of the fort's trustees and staff to carry out the fort's mission.

Bridgeo recommends taking about $500,000 from the city's fund balance, which in effect is a savings account for emergencies, and putting it into a restoration fund for Lithgow Library to be used if and when private fundraising for the proposed library expansion and renovation is successful. He said the reserve fund can be maintained at sufficient levels, while still providing $500,000 for the library renovation.

Bridgeo said the entire city budget will be posted online by this afternoon on the city's Web site, www.augustamaine.gov.

Mayor Roger Katz praised Bridgeo for his work on the budget, and his manager's message in particular, at Thursday's council meeting.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com