Brunswick residents during a public hearing Thursday were divided over the merits of a town budget plan that would increase spending and hike property taxes to accommodate higher employee salaries, new municipal positions and increased student enrollment, among other costs.
The $92.1 million budget plan, which includes municipal, school and county spending, marks a 9.2% increase over the current fiscal year and would raise property taxes 7.4%. That means for a house assessed at $400,000, property taxes would increase about $640.
“Six hundred and forty dollars is the cost of co-pays and medications, in particular those who are elderly,” Caitlin D’Amour, a clinical social worker with two children, told the Town Council. “Six hundred and forty dollars is heating costs for the winter. … For some that may not be a lot, but for many families in Brunswick it is.”
Ana Hicks, the parent of two children, spoke in support of the $52.9 million school budget, which represents a 7.1% increase over the current fiscal year.
“This budget is really important to support our kids and community,” Hicks said, calling this year’s budget process “extremely difficult.”
“Brunswick is not alone,” she said. “Communities across the state are facing increased costs because of personnel pressures, special ed and other pressures, including inflation.”
The school budget includes a $1.7 million increase for teacher salaries, while the special-education budget increased by $900,333 and $838,500 was allocated for an expected influx of 100 students from asylum-seeking families.
Chris Teel asked the council to reduce the school budget.
“For the town to now say we’re going to saddle you with another 7% tax increase is huge,” he said. “You can’t keep on doing this year after year. … It’s frustrating.”
Last year, property taxes rose by just under 4% after the budget plans were approved.
Sarah Singer, vice chairperson of the Brunswick School Board, defended the school budget.
“We worked really hard to get to the number where we are at,” she said. “I’m immensely grateful for those resources in our schools and I’m fighting to protect them.”
Singer noted the board made reductions to the initial $54.1 million school budget proposal that would have raised property taxes by about 10%. The board cut more than $1 million by not hiring for certain positions and reducing costs for supplies and equipment.
The $37.2 million municipal budget plan marks a 12.3% increase in spending and would raise property taxes 2.3%. Employee salaries and benefits rose by nearly $1.8 million, while an additional $577,014 was planned for eight new staff positions and a $501,375 debt-service payment is due on the town’s purchase of 283 acres around Maquoit Bay last year for possible conservation.
The $1.9 million county budget, which the town does not control, represents a 10.4% spending hike and would have a 0.3% tax impact.
Patricia Dunning told the council the projected 7.4% property tax hike is “shocking.”
“This is too much of an increase,” she said. “You have to sharpen the pencil. … I truly hope you will find ways to decrease this tax increase that will create hardship for so many Brunswick residents.”
Last month, the council gave little indication it plans to alter the budget. Some councilors were concerned about school spending but presented no proposals for cuts. The council will continue budget discussions at its regular meeting Monday, May 1, at 6:30 p.m. The body is expected to adopt a budget May 22.
“I appreciate everyone who’s spoken,” Councilor Kathy Wilson said Thursday. “You’ve given us a lot to think about.”
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