Last week, I checked my 401K and immediately wished I hadn’t. I usually do the grocery shopping in my household. My grocery cart is getting smaller (I’m trying to be better about not grabbing things not on the list), but the cost at the register doesn’t seem to be going down. We have opted not to go anywhere for April vacation and hunker down at home to save some money.

I watch the news and hear about potential federal cuts to Medicare, Social Security, and loss of federal grants for existing programs that may impact our community. I share all this because like many of you, I’m worried about my personal finances. In my household, it’s a time to make choices and show restraint. I bring this mindset as we tackle the 2026 budget, because I know many people are feeling the same financial pressures I am.

I really appreciate the modest budget proposal that the town manager and superintendent put forward for fiscal year 2026. It showed the same restraint that I am doing at home. Overall, the proposal would increase taxes by 3.4%. It’s the lowest starting point in the five years I’ve been on the council. As we work through the process, we will likely end up at a different number before our second reading on May 7.

On the town side, the increase is predominantly to honor contractual agreements with our union employees in fire, police, dispatch and public works – some of our hardest working people in town. There are also increases in costs for contracts, and maintenance following our routine replacement schedule to provide level services. These costs are going up to do the same amount of work. There are a few new positions requested by the town that are being considered. They are a long time coming that have been put off year after year.

On the school side, the majority of the increase is due to the teachers union contract under active negotiations and legally mandated positions to provide special services to students. Similar to last year, my main focus is to take care of the people who serve you and the children of Scarborough each and every day — the people who are facing the same household pressures we all are facing. Approximately 66% of the town budget is for personnel expenses, compared to the school at 81%.

While I know many are feeling worried about their personal finances, I hope our community believes with a high degree of certainty that the town will be consistent in delivering a modest tax increase typically close to the inflation rate. If you have feedback on the budget, you can engage with the town and school in many ways. Come to the third and final budget roundtable at Town Hall on April 29 at 5 p.m. The roundtables are an informal way to share your thoughts with the council and school board. Alternatively, you can always email us your thoughts – towncouncil@scarboroughmaine.org and/or boe@scarboroughschools.org.

While there is financial uncertainty all around us, I hope our community will take solace knowing that your elected officials, town, and school staff are committed to our tradition of providing stability with modest adjustments in our finances to continue to provide you with valuable services.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Scarborough Town Council.

Jon Anderson is vice chair of Scarborough Town Council. He can be reached at towncouncil@scarboroughmaine.org.