WESTBROOK – An organized group of Westbrook residents is looking over the shoulders of city and school officials throughout this year’s budget season.

Westbrook Taxpayers United, boasting about 30 members, has been a vocal presence during the budget process.

Deb Shangraw, the owner of Emerald Management on Main Street, has been the driving force behind the group since it began last year. Shangraw said she is concerned that the tough economic situation is making it hard for people to afford to pay their taxes, and she wants to see something done so people can stay in the city.

“People are leaving our town, enrollment is down on the school side, valuations are down, people don’t have the money anymore,” she said.

Of particular concern, she said, are elderly residents on fixed incomes.

“Where are they going to pay that extra $100 a year?” Shangraw said. “They’re taking it from their medicine, their food, their house upkeep. I get very concerned about our elderly population.”

Shangraw started looking at the way the city spends its money after local property taxes went up last year, the first time in four years that there has been a property tax increase in the city.

“What got me started was the hike in our taxes last year,” she said. “I started becoming concerned where our city was going with expenditures and increased taxes.”

Shangraw said the group’s goal is a simple one. “(We want) to be a voice, to help effect positive change and keep our leaders on their toes,” she said.

City Councilor Mike Sanphy said this is the first time in his memory that a taxpayers’ group has organized in Westbrook, and he can understand the reasons why the group has formed.

“It serves a useful purpose,” he said. “It makes you aware of people’s feelings on taxes.”

Shangraw said she met with City Administrator Jerre Bryant and School Superintendent Marc Gousse. After taking a look at the budgets, she started to see areas where she thought the city was spending too much money. Drawing on her business experience, Shangraw began to look at salaries and benefits paid to city and school employees.

“In most businesses, salaries and employee costs are your No. 1 cost,” she said. “What I found is we are paying very high salaries to both our school and city employees.”

Shangraw said she feels that both the city and the school department could try and negotiate some savings with their respective unions. The city is in negotiations with its five unions, while the school contracts come up next year.

Bryant said he was not able to comment on the union negotiations, but he did allow that the city would be working with union to keep costs as low as possible.

“We are always cognizant of the cost of employee salaries and employee benefits and it is always a topic of conversation in labor negotiations,” he said.

On the school side, Gousse said the unions have worked with the administration in the past, adding that employees have not received raises for the previous two years. He added that the freeze applies to the school leadership, as well. Gousse said that when he took over as superintendent last March, he continued to be paid at the level of his high school principal salary until June, when he began to receive the same salary as the previous superintendent.

When negotiations for the new school union contracts begin next year, Gousse said, the administration, like the city, would be looking at ways to save money.

“We have been very clear with our bargaining units that the next round of negotiations have to look very differently on how we do salary and benefits,” he said.

As Shangraw began to look into the city’s spending, she began to talk to other residents, and the Westbrook Taxpayers United began to form.

Rose Marie Russell, a resident of the Stroudwater Heights Condominiums on Saco Street, said she has always been interested in tax reform, having worked on two campaigns attempting to pass a Taxpayers Bill of Rights. Once she got wind of Westbrook Taxpayers United, Russell said, she knew she wanted to be a part of it.

“I have been interested (in how tax money is being spent),” she said. “When I saw there was a taxpayers group staring up, I was most interested because I think elected officials need to be held accountable.”

Russell said she became interested in tax reform after seeing people she knew lose their homes because they were unable to afford the taxes.

“It’s a hard thing to watch,” she said. “I’m just extremely interested in how our money is being spent, because it’s our money.”

One other vocal member of the group is James Tranchemontagne, the owner of the Frog and Turtle restaurant. Shangraw said he has been a valuable asset to the group.

“(He is a) mover and shaker in this town,” Shangraw said.

Tranchemontagne, who recently had a dispute with City Council President Brendan Rielly regarding the time allotted for public comment at City Council meetings, said he got involved with Westbrook Taxpayers United after Shangraw reached out to him.

“I received a letter in the mail from Deb stating numerous facts about the city and its spending,” he said. “She was having a meeting for concerned citizens. Up to then I had focused, viewing myself as a lone wolf, on building codes and how it was effecting economic development.”

One thing that Tranchemontagne has called attention to, Shangraw said, is the need for the city to work with the existing downtown businesses to find out what they need to thrive, something she said is not happening now.

“I’ve been here since 1998, and I’ve never once been approached by a leader in our city,” she said. “Never have I had anyone come down and say, ‘Hey, we have 25 businesses down here, we have several that come and go, what do you think we can do as a city that we can make a difference on?”

To that end, Tranchemontagne said he would like to see more small business owners seeking a seat on the City Council.

“I believe the citizens need to encourage more small business owners to run for council,” he said. “A balanced government is best for all.”

Tranchemontagne added that he thinks Westbrook needs to “re-brand” its image to let people know the city has the resources to compete for development.

While the group still has its concerns, there are some recent positive developments with the local budget that pleases the members. Once such change is the city administration’s proposal to establish a tax stabilization reserve, which will be used to offset property tax increases. If the council passes the reserve this month, money from that fund will be used to keep the tax rate the same as it was in 2011-2012.

“I like the idea – set aside funds so that as budgets change, there are shortfalls that can be met without coming to the taxpayers,” Shangraw said.

Bryant said he thinks the city is working to meet the group’s concerns about spending and taxes. According to state numbers, Westbrook in 2010 spent $1,575 in tax income per person, ranking it below nearby communities such as South Portland ($2,285), Portland ($2,064) and Saco ($1,600), but above Sanford ($1,144) and Brunswick ($1,525).

But, Bryant said, members of the group are not the only ones expressing their concerns regarding spending and taxes.

“I think their message complements what the councilors are already hearing,” he said. “We’re always eager to listen and work with anybody, and they’re no exception.”

While acknowledging that the city needs to keep a close eye on how it spends its money, Bryant points out that in four of the last five years, the city budget has come in with no tax increase or, as was the case in 2010, a slight tax decrease. The only exception to this trend was last year’s budget, he said.

“I think we’re already getting the message,” Bryant said. “But it’s not that we don’t need to be reminded about it.”

Gousse said that he would also welcome to work with Westbrook Taxpayers United.

“They have some really important things to say,” he said.

Tranchemontagne said he thinks the group has been successful in spreading its message.

“I believe people are no longer afraid to question Westbrook policies because now there is a solidified voice,” he said. “I know the pains and headaches one can feel going it alone, but now being a group, we can research, meet with department heads and make suggestions that we feel will benefit all. Our message is a positive one. Re-brand, reduce spending and outsource.”

Shangraw said that she expects the group to continue to keep working to make Westbrook an affordable place for all.

“We have a lot more work to do,” she said.

After becoming concerned about taxes in the city, Deb Shangraw, the owner of Emerald Management on Main Street, formed the group Westbrook Taxpayers United.