Bangor budget heads to council

BANGOR – After a final review by the strategic issues committee Monday night, the proposed $68.8 million city-school budget for the upcoming fiscal year is headed to the full City Council. The council is expected to approve the budget, which kicks in July 1, during its regular meeting next week.

The product of months of deliberation, the 2003-04 budget would decrease the city’s tax rate from $23.60 to $23.35 per $1,000 in property valuation.

Despite the decreasing tax rate, not all property owners would realize savings, however, because of fluctuations in individual property values, City Manager Edward Barrett said Monday afternoon. To that end, he said the average taxpayer would pay about 2 percent more in property taxes than this year.

As things stand, the municipal budget plan amounts to $34.8 million, up 3 percent from this year. The $34 million education budget plan shows a slightly smaller increase, up 2.6 percent.

The total tax levy – the sum that must be raised through taxation – would total $38.5 million, or 2.7 percent more than this year.

Other factors that go into setting the tax levy are the county tax bill, up 4 percent from this year, and a cushion to cover unanticipated property tax abatements, reduced to $312,000 from the initially budgeted $350,000 to help balance the budget.

In resolving some budget requests of community interest, the councilors have agreed, in principle, to designate $30,000 for the Hammond Street Senior Center; $40,000 as a challenge grant for the financially struggling Penobscot Theatre Company; $107,000 for the Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau; and $6,250 to support YMCA and YWCA after-school programs.

Their position on a new minor league baseball program was less clear.

The proposed budget includes $250,000 for improvements to Husson College’s baseball field to accommodate the Bangor Lumberjacks. The minor-league baseball team, owned by Bangor businessman Charles “Chip” Hutchins, now uses the University of Maine’s facilities in nearby Orono.

The initial budget request was for $381,000. Councilors, who have debated the request during previous budget talks, remain divided over the appropriation.

Councilor Frank Farrington said he wasn’t completely comfortable with the city’s proposed contribution, which he did not see as essential, given the city’s budgetary constraints.

Councilor Anne Allen disagreed, saying she saw the baseball activity as a form of economic development: “We’re going to be supporting a team that happens to be located at Husson.”

The appropriation toward the Husson ball field “is not a gift to a group,” agreed Councilor Gerry Palmer, noting that the attendance at Lumberjacks games has been running about 2,000 per game.

Mayor Nichi Farnham wanted to know if partially funding the budget request was “a deal breaker or not. … I think this is a stretch for a lot of people.”

Barrett said he would schedule a meeting with the parties involved to get some clarification.