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VAN BUREN, Maine — Van Buren passed an annual budget earlier this month that comes in $130,679 higher than the previous year.
While it is too early to determine the tax impact, Town Manager Luke Dyer said residents are unlikely to see major changes.
“There are several factors that impact our mill rate,” he said. “If there is a change, it will most likely be minimal.”
The mill rate determines what residents will pay in property taxes, with last year’s rate being $20.75 per $1,000 of property. A Van Buren resident with a total home and property value of $100,000 would have paid $2,075 last year, for example.
Town Councilor Kevin Lapointe, who ran unopposed, was also reelected to the town council earlier this month with 284 votes.
The total budget for the new year is $3,721,119, compared with last year’s total of $3,590,440. Departments saw minor jumps due to growing insurance and cost-of-living increases. The growing school and county budgets also factored into the town’s higher budget, Dyer said.
The town’s county tax payment this year is $247,310, a $22,209 jump from last year’s total. The school budget also grew slightly, from $514,425 to $528,088. The school budget was approved at the referendum earlier this month with 261 in favor and 39 opposed.
General government expenses grew from $871,800 to $887,315. That includes an extra $6,000 for the Maine State Retirement System and an additional $4,000 for electricity.
Estimated revenues also grew from last year. This year’s estimated total town revenues are $3,721,119, up from $3,272,502 the previous year.
The entire town budget is now available through the annual report on the town website.