SCARBOROUGH — At the May 18 Scarborough Town Council meeting, councilors passed a combined municipal and school budget of $76.8 million for the Fiscal Year 2023 which begins July 1. 

The budget proposal was previously set at $78.2 million, but councilors cut about $1.4 million from an initial proposal that would have seen a property tax rate increase of about 4.9 percent. Many residents were unhappy about such a large rise in property taxes and hoped the council lower the rate. The approved budget will see a tax rate increase of 3 percent.

“We have a healthy budget here that’s been trimmed by the finance committee,” Council Chair John Cloutier said in an earlier statement. 

Among the items in the $21.6 million municipal portion of the budget are $500,000 for public safety investments and an added $695,000 being used for updating the town’s transportation study, a sidewalk snow removal machine, sidewalk rehabilitation, and a paving project for Black Point Road. 

Public Works Deputy Director Stephen Buckley previously discussed how the department heard from residents about the condition of sidewalks around town and the desire for improved maintenance, through the course of the pandemic. 

Angela Blanchette, town engineer, said two road construction projects that are planned in the year ahead will also correspond with bike and pedestrian improvements. The project includes work on Spurwink Avenue (from the Ocean Avenue intersection to the Cape Elizabeth town line) and a one mile stretch of Highland Avenue is expected to see improved pedestrian amenities, such as bike lanes and sidewalks.  

Police Chief Mark Holmquist previously discussed how the Scarborough Police Department is addressing public concerns around police visibility in the neighborhood and other areas in town. The budget for the police department includes adding two new staff positions and initiatives which will include driving in cruise light mode. The results of the town survey indicated that people would like to feel that there is more of a police presence in their neighborhood. The Police Department decided implementing cruise mode, when police cars emit a solid dim light, would be the best way to let people see that officers are out there patrolling the town.

The council approved a school budget of $51.9 million, although final approval of the school budget is up to town residents, who will get to decide at the June 14 town election.  The new budget includes a $360,000 increase in health insurance costs, a $300,000 increase in energy and fuel costs, and $250,000 for four new positions which will include two social workers and two educational technicians.

Many schools have been experiencing staffing shortages, hiring challenges, uncertainty around enrollment and community demographics, supply chain disruptions, shortages, and cost increases, and this year, a loss of federal grant support, according to school officials. 

Town Council members previously stated that the schools have been in recovery mode for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

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