YARMOUTH — Although the current draft of the town’s combined municipal and school budget for next year could raise taxes 7.95%, Town Manager Nat Tupper aims to reduce that hike to less than 4% in the coming weeks.

The increase – which would add $600 to the tax bill for a median-priced Yarmouth home assessed at $400,000 – was February’s projection, Tupper said. But because of the health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Town Council has been unable “to move forward with the review or come up with something different,” he explained.

The panel was due Thursday, April 2 – after The Forecaster’s deadline – to approve a $45.1 million town-school placeholder budget. The spending plan, which at that level would reflect a 10% increase in spending and could add $1.50 per $1,000 of valuation to the property tax rate, would first be subject to a public hearing and vote on May 7, and then again at the annual Town Meeting, scheduled for June 2.

“In making this approval, the Town Council acknowledges that both the opportunities for Council deliberations and public comment have been truncated due to the public health emergency conditions,” the April 2 meeting agenda states, “and the Town Council will be providing additional public comment opportunities and invites the public to contact Councilors with comments and questions by phone or email with contact information provided on the Town’s website,” yarmouth.me.us. Town Hall can also be reached at 846-9036.

As presented in February and since then largely unchanged, the municipal budget component of Yarmouth’s draft fiscal year 2021 budget is $13.9 million, and the school’s is $29.9 million. Town spending is up by $819,000, a 6% hike, while school spending is up by $3.2 million, or 12%. Also included is a $1.24 million assessment from Cumberland County.

At those levels, Yarmouth’s tax rate of $18.86 per $1,000 of valuation would rise to $20.36. Tax rates since Yarmouth’s 2016 town-wide revaluation have been $17.06 in fiscal year 2017, $17.16 in 2018, and $17.80 in 2019.

Education comprises 66% of the overall budget, according to Tupper. The school budget includes $2.97 million in debt service, up from $1.92 million in the current year, largely due to payments on a $52 million bond for upgrades at all four of Yarmouth’s schools.

Current debt service is dropping by about $800,000, and new debt accounts for $1.8 million of the $2.97 million in debt service, according to Andrew Dolloff, Yarmouth schools superintendent.

Town voters in 2018 approved the borrowing, which funds increased security, new classroom space, and specialized space for programs like art and music. The improvements are underway.

“We are definitely considering any adjustments we can make,” Dolloff said. “Right now, the budget will be presented to the Council ‘as is,’  since the School Committee had completed its exhaustive review prior to the current crisis. Now the Council will provide input, and the School Committee will respond as needed. It is much more complicated to communicate between the Council and School Committee than in normal times, but we’ll make sure dialogue occurs and adjustments are made as needed.”

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.