Residents who vote in the annual Durham town meeting on April 4 will decide if they want to explore a change in the way the town decides on its budget. In addition, voters will consider an increased municipal budget that, as presented, would be a small factor in significant tax hikes to come.

In article 35 on the town meeting warrant, voters will decide if the town should explore “other means” of voting on the town budget. Resident Donna Church gathered signatures on a petition, which got the question placed on the warrant. Church says that she and the people who signed the petition would prefer to vote on the budget in a booth, with a larger time frame, such as the 8 a.m.-8 p.m. the town offers for municipal elections. Not everyone can make it to a Saturday town meeting, Church said, and too few people are deciding on a municipal budget that affects everyone.

The proposed town budget is $2,342,885 compared to the $2,207,164 authorized by voters last year.

Increases in the fire and rescue department, roads and Planning Board budgets account for most of the additional municipal spending requests.

Including a proposed 10.18 percent hike for Durham in the Regional School Unit 5 budget, 6.15 percent more in municipal costs and 3.82 percent more in county taxes, Durham residents could be facing a $1.54 increase per $1,000 in assessed property value, if no money from surplus is applied to the spending, according to Ruth Glaeser, town administrator. The town has no power over the county budget, but it does have the opportunity to amend the spending articles on the town meeting warrant, and in the town meeting-style annual RSU 5 budget meeting on May 27. Residents will vote up or down in the RSU 5 budget referendum on June 9.

– Larry Grard

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