Abbot budget reflects 9 percent spending drop

ABBOT – Residents voted Monday during the annual town meeting to raise $102,950 from taxation and take $20,300 from surplus for municipal spending in 2002. The municipal budget reflects a 9 percent decrease in spending from the previous year.

After much discussion Monday, residents voted to allow qualified town employees to purchase health insurance through the Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust at their own expense. An employee must work at least 20 hours a week to qualify for the benefit at no cost to the town.

In other matters, residents voted to use more surplus funds to pay for services instead of raising the amounts from taxation. Residents voted to decrease the general assistance account by $1,000 and reduced funds for the Town Hall maintenance account by $1,000.

No funds were approved for animal control, the American Red Cross, Community Health and Counseling Services, Eastern Agency on Aging, Maine Public Broadcasting Corp., Penquis Community Action Program, United Cerebral Palsy of Northeastern Maine and the Guilford Christmas program. The latter was not funded because the town has its own Christmas program for needy families.

Residents also decreased the amount of interest to be charged on unpaid taxes from 10 percent per year to 6 percent per year. Taxes are due and payable when bills are received.