PORTLAND, Maine – A city councilor warns that Portland should avoid taking on new debt to finance improvements to Hadlock Field to attract a minor league baseball team.

A proposal to sell $1.5 million in bonds would raise taxes only $5 on a $100,000 home, but that would be out of line with the city’s no-tax-increase budget for the current year, Councilor Cheryl A. Leeman said. Baseball’s expansion committee has given cities until Labor Day to commit to improving fields to minimum Double-A standards, so Portland doesn’t have much time to debate the financing.

The council has scheduled a special meeting Aug. 24 to consider the proposal.