BIDDEFORD — Mayor Alan Casavant said the 8.5 percent increase in the tax rate, based on the recently passed budget for fiscal year 2013, is too high. That’s why he plans to veto the budget, although whether he has the votes in the city council to sustain the veto is unclear. A special council meeting on the issue will be held this evening at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.

“I don’t think the council adequately considered the taxpayers’ ability to pay for an increase,” said Casavant in a telephone interview Thursday, as to why he is vetoing the budget.

The combined city and school budget of $41.1 million, approved by the city council May 29, is $3.2 million more than the fiscal year 2012 budget. It would increase the mil rate over that of the current year by an estimated $1.33, to $16.75 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Casavant proposed several reductions to the approved budget in a memo to councilors, a copy of which was provided to the Journal Tribune. These reductions would bring the tax rate to $16.57 and lower the increase over last year’s rate to 7.4 percent.

The reductions could be achieved by removing several items from fire department budget, he said, including the purchase of a power stretcher and repairing the Central Fire Station’s floor.

In addition, the mayor said he favors a motion made by Councilor Michael Ready on May 29 to reduce the education budget by more than $366,000.

Casavant also recommended letting voters decide on some capital projects, through a bond referendum question.

And, in his memo, he wrote that he would like to continue a hiring freeze.

Casavant said he understands the need for a property tax increase, because of fixed-price increases for items like utilities and salaries, as well as past councils’ reluctance to budget for needed capital improvements.

However, the need for budget increases “must be balanced on what people can actually afford,” he said.

“That stark reality, as well as the visual reminders of empty houses, ”˜for sale’ signs, and considerable unemployment and under-employment, has convinced me that, this year, we must slow down the potential increase,” stated Casavant in his memo.

It takes two-thirds of the council members present at the meeting to overturn a veto, according to the City Charter.

Casavant said he doesn’t think he has enough council votes for his veto to stand. However, he said, “If I did nothing, it would eat at my conscience. ”¦ Even if you’re swimming against the tide, you still have to do it.”

Until he hears the mayor’s proposal for reducing the budget, Councilor Bob Mills said he’s not sure whether or not he will support the mayor’s veto.

“I don’t want to see a tax increase,” he said, “but it’s unavoidable.”

At least two councilors say they plan to vote against the mayor’s veto.

“Even if I were inclined to make arbitrary cuts in a budget that the council has worked hard on ”“ which I’m not,” said Councilor Richard Rhames in an email, “the cloak and dagger process being utilized by The Executive is flawed.

“Pulling this veto-rabbit out of his hat at the last minute” is insulting, he said. “The budget clearly has majority support. We’ve proved that over and over.”

“I believe that the mayor had ample opportunity to direct and guide the council throughout the budget season, and I find that a veto offering a mere 18-cent decrease is an insult to the process and hard work the council has dedicated to this budget,” said Councilor Melissa Bednarowski.

In order to be more proactive in the next budget cycle, Casavant wrote that he will ask the council to approve an ad hoc oversight committee to review governmental practices.

In addition, he said, “I will continue to reach out to our neighboring communities to find common areas of cooperation.”

While the council has the final vote on the city portion of the budget, a vote by the public is needed to approve the education budget.

“If the mayor’s veto stands then the school budget validation referendum election comes to a halt,” stated City Clerk Carmen Morris in an email. “There would then be no school budget validation referendum ballots given to voters at the polls on election day.”

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or [email protected].