A fledgling but growing group of Wiscasset residents concerned about the recent 14 percent increase in local property taxes has formed an “alliance” to air worries about municipal spending.

The Wiscasset Taxpayers Alliance (WTA) describes itself as an informal coalition of residents and business owners, all of whom pay property taxes to the Town of Wiscasset. The Alliance formed only recently, and its first concern is a Board of Selectmen’s Meeting taking place Tuesday night at 6 p.m. Wiscasset’s Board of Selectmen is expected to vote on a Cooperative Agreement with the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT), and, according to the Alliance, many residents feel that town leaders are pushing ahead without explaining to voters what the costs will be to town taxpayers.

“For one thing, the federal government was going to pay 80 percent of the costs, now they’re out of this deal altogether,” said Bill Sutter, a Wiscasset resident and WTA spokesperson. “What happened? Will this hurt the taxpayers?”

Sutter said there may very well be good answers to such questions, but that town leaders need to slow down, investigate financial costs to the community, and follow a process of full disclosure.

Other members of the Alliance believe that the town is not yet authorized by the voters to enter into any decision that causes Wiscasset to commit funds. They say the town’s financial burden that will result from a commitment to the MDOT project could be substantial. The matter has yet to be referred to Wiscasset’s Budget Committee, nor have the voters approved any expenditure, as the Alliance says is required by ordinance.

WTA has established a Twitter account, a Facebook page and a YouTube channel, hoping to reach taxpayers who normally aren’t able to attend Board of Selectmen's Meetings.

The Wiscasset Taxpayers Alliance is an informal coalition of Wiscasset residents, business owners and taxpayers. It may be reached at WiscassetTaxpayersAlliance@gmail.com.