The Gorham Town Council will vote on Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak’s proposed municipal budget next month. It calls for spending $23.5 million, representing a 4.7% hike from the current $22.4 million.

Based on estimates of the town’s total valuation, Paraschak not only anticipates no increase in the tax rate, but actually expects a decrease of several cents to cover the municipal expenses, according to his April 12 budget letter of transmittal he wrote to town councilors.

The tax rate needed to support the town’s side of his proposed budget, as it stands now, is projected to be $3.20 per thousand dollars of valuation, about a dime decrease from the current $3.29. The figure does not include the schools’ portion of the town’s tax rate.

Property taxes to support town government, including the $1.7 million Cumberland County assessment of Gorham, on a home assessed at $400,000 would drop $36 from $1,316 to $1,280.

Some changes in the municipal budget from past years include collaboration with the Gorham School Department to transfer $277,750 for costs of school resource officers to the municipal side of the budget.

The municipal budget is also absorbing $200,000 toward the resurfacing of the tennis courts at Gorham High School; reduces the cost of rent and utilities for the schools’ space in the Municipal Center from $90,000 to $25,000; and incorporates a shared library position with the school department.

The municipal budget also adds four firefighter/EMT/paramedic positions for the Fire Department with positions funded through tax increment financing revenue; creates a payroll specialist in the finance department; and eliminates the “Silver Bullet” recycling containers at Public Works, a savings of nearly $50,000.

The budget calls for spending $768,000 to buy about 7,000 curbside collection totes that would go into service in early 2027.

Paraschak wrote that the municipal budget increases the use of tax increment financing district funds “for qualifying projects, positions and existing municipal expenditures as our TIF districts grow. These TIF funds, captured from new property tax value in commercial and village TIF districts established by the Town Council, have grown in recent years and have the ability to increase or stabilize revenue to the town through state aid to education, revenue sharing and limit county taxes provided the funds are used to offset expenses the town would otherwise have to incur.”

The Town Council is expected to conduct a public hearing and a budget vote on May 13.

To view Paraschak’s entire proposed budget, go to the “News” section at gorham-me.org.