SACO — With the end of budget season looming in the near future, residents have expressed concerns regarding funding adequate education for students and keeping tax rates affordable for the city’s senior population. 

The City Council is scheduled to vote on both the municipal and the school budget on May 14. The May 14 vote is the final vote for the municipal budget. The school budget will go for a final vote at the June 12 ballot. 

The current proposed 2019 fiscal year budget proposal, including both the proposed school and municipal budgets, is $56.5 million. The proposed combined budget is estimated to increase the mil rate 83 cents, according to City Administrator Kevin Sutherland.

The proposed school budget would increase the mil rate by 92 cents, which would be offset by a 9 cent reduction from the municipal budget.
 
Residents and city councilors spoke out about the proposed budget at a public hearing at City Hall on Monday night. 

Mary Pelkey, a local senior active in the community, said she didn’t understand why with local enrollment down the school budget was up. She said that employees in the school department had insurance co-payments that were lower than those in the private sector and also received cost of living increases every year. 
Pelkey urged the city council to consider how a tax increase would impact local households.

Local parent Michael Burman urged the council to support the school budget, because it was “the right thing to do” for city’s children. “I’m hoping we can leave these divisive politics behind us, do what’s right for our kids and support the budget,” he said. 

Retired educator Nancy Phillips, a resident of Saco since the 1970s, said she didn’t think seniors should have to be forced out of their home because of high taxes, but she said the city also had a duty to its young students, and as a former educator she knew that teachers weren’t paid a lot. She said the city should keep both the young people and the seniors in mind, and suggested the city consider a tax camp for seniors. 

City Councillor William Doyle said the city and the school board should have met earlier in the budget process to determine if there were any cost saving opportunities.

City Councilor Marshall Archer said though he would pass the proposed school budget along to voters, he would carefully be analyzing the school budget in the upcoming year, looking at costs and  student academic achievement scores. 

Councilor Alan Minthorn said he’s hoping to lead a committee that will review the city’s work-off program that allows senior to work off part of their tax bill for volunteer work, and also study other possible tax relief options for seniors.

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