ROCKLAND, Maine — Knox County municipalities will be paying about 4 percent more toward county government after the approval Thursday night of the 2016 budget.
The only disagreement between the Knox County commissioners and the Knox County budget committee on the $10,141,000 budget was whether to contribute $21,000 to the Midcoast Economic Development District of Damariscotta.
The commissioners voted 3-0 to include $21,000 for the organization. Commissioner Roger Moody of Camden said the organization helps with economic development in the area by providing technical assistance. He also pointed out that when communities apply for government grants, they earn additional points by being part of the district.
The budget committee, however, disagreed and voted 7-0 to override the commissioners and take that money out of the budget.
Budget committee member William Jones of Hope said after the vote that he opposed the expenditure because he does not believe that government creates economic development. Jones also questioned the efficiency of the organization.
Budget committee member Randy Stearns of Camden said his town already is a member of the development district and it did not make sense for the town to have to pay twice through its county taxes.
Camden, with the largest property assessment in Knox County, will see the biggest increase in payments to the county. The community will pay $1,325,000 in 2016 for taxes and communication fees to Knox County — $75,000 more than in 2015.
Rockport and Rockland pay the next largest share of the county budget. Rockport will see its payments increase $58,000 to slightly less than $1.1 million, while Rockland will pay an additional $36,000, reaching about $956,000.
The approved budget is nearly the same as had been submitted by County Administrator Andrew Hart in October.
The largest increase in the budget is for the first payment of $67,000 on a $575,000 project to repair the courthouse building in Rockland. Increased costs for the jail, and raises and insurance increases for employees, make up most of the remaining budget increase.