Damariscotta voters will consider a 3.05 percent increase in the $2.72 million municipal budget at annual town meeting in June.
The 2015-2016 budget totals $2,716,900.94, an increase of $80,400.94. The Damariscotta Board of Selectmen and Damariscotta Budget Committee recently completed their review of the budget.
The budget breaks down by category as follows, in order by budget amount: police department, $513,715.64, increase of $25,302.64 or 5.18 percent; county tax, $416,094.08, increase of $12,119.08 or 3 percent; administration, $364,170.35, increase of $20,647.35 or 6.01 percent; capital reserves, $240,000, increase of $41,900 or 21.15 percent; highway department, $237,545, no change; hydrants, $143,868, no change; debt service, $138,229.03, increase of $442.03 or 0.32 percent; solid waste management, $132,215, increase of $6,215 or 4.93 percent; interlocal agreement, $108,141.78, increase of $1,654.78 or 1.55 percent; fire department, $104,220, increase of $120 or 0.12 percent; assessing, $49,466.05, increase of $4,669.05 or 10.42 percent; planning and development, $48,446.57, increase of $1,596.57 or 3.41 percent; community betterment organizations, $48,002, increase of $4,965 or 11.54 percent; municipal building, $40,134, increase of $352 or 0.88 percent; cemetery, $29,193, decrease of $348 or 1.18 percent; insurance, $19,717, decrease of $1,741 or 8.11 percent; contingency, $19,000, increase of $3,000 or 18.75 percent; streetlights, $15,500, no change; legal services, $15,000, no change; adult education, $8,106, no change; animal control, $6,518, no change; worthy poor trust fund, $6,000, no change; general assistance, $5,000, no change; fireworks, $2,500, no change; trolley, $2,000, no change; emergency management, $1,869.45, increase of $155.45 or 9.07 percent; town clock, $1,250, no change; traffic lights, $1,000, no change.
The county tax figure is an estimate, according to budget documents. The town does not have a final figure as of Tuesday, April 21.
