The first draft of Raymond Town Manager Don Willard’s $5.8 million budget proposal is down nearly 13% over this year’s $6.6 million budget.

The $5,784,028 draft budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year $848,829 less than the 2020-2021 budget.

The projected property tax rate is $13.90 per $1,000 of assessed property value, a 5-cent decrease from the current tax rate. The municipal tax rate alone is projected to increase by 2 cents for a total of $2.89. There is a 7-cent decrease in the $10.33 school tax rate, though RSU 14’s budget is not yet finalized. The county tax rate is projected to stay the same.

The proposal includes the county and school budgets, but uses the same numbers as last year.

The owner of a $250,000 home in Raymond can expect to pay $3,475, or $15 less than last year. Of that amount, $722.50 is for municipal taxes alone, a $5 increase from last year.

The proposed capital improvement projects budget is $790,000, down 59.5%, or $1,158,444, from this year’s budget. Significant cuts included a 54% decrease to the paving and technology budgets, a 76% decrease to fire projects and a 63% decrease to playground improvements.

Increases to the proposed town budget includes $172,879 for general government, for a total of $1,123,440. The majority of the increases come from salary raises and town revaluation costs.

The Tassel Top Park budget will increase by over 50% for a total of $76,393. The budget includes a 50% increase to salaries, or $45,000 total, as well as $8,000 for cabin and structure repairs and $2,000 for equipment. The latter two budgets last year were $1,000 and $800, respectively.

The next budget workshop is scheduled for March 30. The Budget/Finance Committee is scheduled to recommend the budget articles to the Board of Selectmen at their April 27 meeting.