East Millinocket targets spending Selectmen to set budget guidelines

EAST MILLINOCKET – Concerned about rising taxes, selectmen next week will hold a workshop to set spending guidelines for the coming municipal budget deliberations, which likely will mean cuts.

Chairman Clint Linscott said officials are concerned about the level of the town’s current tax rate. He said officials hope to bring the rate down. “We have got to start somewhere,” he said.

Linscott said he is concerned about how the higher tax rate affects senior citizens living on fixed incomes. “With such a high jump, we do have to find a way to reduce it,” said the chairman. “We have to look at everything.”

Last week, selectmen, who also act as the town’s assessors, set a new tax rate at $23.49 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which is $4.80 higher than last year’s. It is the largest increase in 15 years.

The board’s decision to hold a workshop after its regular meeting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, came after administrative assistant Mary Morris told selectmen she needed some direction before asking the town’s department heads to begin preparing budget proposals.

Some selectmen said they would like to see an overall percentage decrease in the new budget.

Selectman Jim Jamo said it is important that department heads are given some direction before the budget process begins. He said he would like to see at least a 4 percent across-the-board cut in the total municipal budget. Linscott agreed.

Selectman Dave Nicholson suggested officials set up a couple of different scenarios. He said one should be taking this year’s bottom line figure and deduct 4 to 6 percent from it. “I’m not sure every department can take 4 to 6 percent cuts, but when we get back to the bottom line we have got to have 4 to 6 percent come out of that if we want to do anything worthwhile,” he said.

Nicholson said each department’s budget needs to be reviewed individually. He said in the past the board attempted to make cuts, but in the end there was an overall increase. “I think we have to start at the bottom line and work backwards,” he said.

Nicholson said another issue officials need to address is the number on the payroll. “The bulk of the budget is in payroll and if we are going to have any impact at all, we have got to explore those issues,” he said. The selectman said it did not mean anyone would be put out of work, but if there were retirements or other situations the board needed to look at it. He said the board needs to look at how personnel are used and should consider multitasks.

“We have to face some realities,” said Nicholson. “The community is smaller. We have got to work smart.”