by Trish Rudder
The Town of Bath has proposed a budget of $678,069 for fiscal year 2019-20.
The increase of $15,804 over last year’s budget of $662,265 was approved by the State Auditor’s Office, said town clerk Sharron Corrick on Friday, April 5.
The new budget goes into effect July 1 and ends June 30, 2020.
Councilman Andrew Swaim, who chair the Finance committee said most of the increase was due to an increase in hotel/motel revenue and expenditures.
Projected revenue
The bulk of the town’s revenue comes from a projected property tax collection of $169,363.
It also projects an estimated $100,000 in refuse collection, $70,000 in hotel occupancy tax, $64,000 in excise tax on utilities, $54,000 in the business and occupation tax, $30,000 in contributions from other entities, $25,000 in parking meter revenues and $25,000 in street fees as some of the larger revenue sources.
Projected Expenses
The town’s largest expense is the $203,162 cost for the police department — about 30 percent of the total budget. It is $450 less than last year’s budget.
The town projects it will spend $160,168 in street and transportation costs, which include street lights, signs and signals, snow removal and street construction. It also projects spending $118,775 for the garbage department, $56,101 for the City Clerk’s office and $38,800 for City Hall.
It also projects it will disburse $35,000 to the travel council, $22,700 to Parks and Recreation, $1,500 to fair associations/festivals, $2,900 to arts and humanities, $2,800 to the museum commission, $4,200 to the historical commission and $900 to the Rails and Trails project, according to the budget report.
Swaim said the mayor, town recorder and council members will again waive their salaries for the coming fiscal year.
Levy rates begin July 1
The net amount to be raised by the levy of property taxes in the town is $169,363.
Rates for the two classes of real estate in the town were higher than fiscal year 2018-19.
Town officials approved the tax rate of 23.64 cents per $100 of assessed value for Class II properties inside the town limits. That rate is up from 21.72 cents per $100 of assessed value from the previous tax year.
Class IV properties, which include all other property inside the town limits, will be taxed at a rate of 47.28 cents per $100 of assessed value. That rate is up from 43.44 cents per $100 of assessed value from the previous tax year.
Town officials will adopt those levy rates next week.
Property owners will see the approved tax rates on their new tax bills in July.
The town’s budget will be published in this week’s Morgan Messenger.
