DAYTON ”“ Residents approved a nearly $4.1 million combined municipal and school budget Thursday night.

About 60 people attended the Annual Town Meeting at the municipal building.

Resident Pat Sweeney was among the most vocal. “Our taxes are way too high,” he said. He said he’d done research, and Dayton’s taxes were higher than in neighboring communities and an increase may make it difficult for people to own homes in town.

All budget line items were passed as proposed, except funding for committee stipends, which was voted in at $2,000 less than proposed.

School Board Chairman Denis Elie said when he decided to be a member of the school board, he didn’t realize it was a stipended position, and last year he donated the money he received to the town’s Playground Committee. Elie moved to decrease the line item by $2,000, or the amount of his stipend.

The approved budget includes the town’s share of funding for Goodwin’s Mills Fire and Rescue. Lyman’s share of the fire and rescue budget will be voted on Saturday at Lyman’s Annual Town Meeting.

The current town’s mil rate is $20.85 per $1,000 of valuation. Town Treasurer Angela Cushman gave “a rough estimate” of the mil rate increase to be 25 cents. She said that number will be finalized when the state and county budgets are decided on.

A 25 cent mil rate increase would raise annual taxes on a $200,000 house by $50.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.