by Lisa Schauer
For the first time, Town of Bath has submitted a proposed operating budget to the state which exceeds $1 million.
The town is projected to pull in over $1.3 million in revenue for fiscal year 2027, up from about $984,000 in FY 2026, an increase of 29%.
About one-third of the revenue will come from the town’s new one-percent municipal sales tax.
Town officials expect to gain $402,000 from the new municipal sales tax during fiscal year 2027, up from a projected $60,000 in FY 2026.
Expenses are projected to rise proportionally. About one-quarter of the town’s expenditures will go to the police department.
The town expects to spend $360,000 on law enforcement, up from $267,586 last year.
A new line item was added to the budget this year to spend $20,000 on sidewalks.
The town’s projected property tax collections are down by four percent over last year, despite assessed property values increasing by nearly 10 percent.
Property tax revenue is expected to come in at to $189,249 in FY 2027.
The drop in projected property tax revenue for the town is due to newly reduced tax rates.
Owner-occupied residential real estate will be taxed at a rate of about 22 cents per hundred dollars in value. Last year, the rate was 25 cents per hundred dollars of valuation.
Commercial property will be taxed at a rate of about 44 cents per hundred dollars. Last year, the rate was 50 cents per hundred dollars of valuation.
Bath officials will vote to set their levy rate by April 21.
