BATH

Councilors have their spending plan for the next fiscal year.

A $15.8 million budget was approved Wednesday evening, a decrease of 0.83 percent from the current fiscal year. The decrease in spending is largely driven by drops in the sewer and landfill budgets. The city also will not be making a payment on a sewer bond next year, though that will kick in the following year.

While there will be an overall decrease in spending, because the sewer and landfill budgets are funded mostly through fees, there is little impact on reducing the tax burden. General fund spending is going up — by 1.53 percent, mostly due to salary and benefit increases — and Bath taxpayers will see an overall tax increase — including municipal, school and county taxes — of 2.48 percent.

Councilors and City Manager Peter Owen have placed the blame for that tax increase on the Regional School Unit 1 budget. The city is expected to pay $10.42 million toward the school district budget, an increase of 3.67 percent, or $369,258, over the last budget.

There will be a budget validation vote June 12 as part of the school district’s two- step budget process.

The city’s contribution to the Sagadahoc County government will remain basically the same, decreasing by just 0.8 percent, or $13,948, over last year.

During a public hearing last month, Owen called the municipal spending plan a “responsible and lean budget.”

“We are benefitting basically from strong fiscal practices from the past,” he said. “And it’s my intention to continue those fiscal practices to bring the best, responsible budget for the Bath citizens going forward.”