With two members approving and one opposed, Alna’s selectboard set the 2023-24 tax rate July 13 for $21.45 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. The 13.2% hike followed three tax years with the rate at $18.95, according to selectmen and Wiscasset Newspaper files.
First Selectman Ed Pentaleri and Second Selectman Steve Graham voted for the $21.45; Third Selectman Coreysha Stone voted “nay.” She explained July 14 in an email response to a question, “We were able to stabilize taxes since 2018 and now we’re jumping (to) a 13% increase and that feels like a big jump in one year. I know people are struggling to pay bills and take care of their families, and I want to make a point to folks that are looking to us to help keep taxes as low as possible that we’re doing that.”
In a phone interview July 14, Stone said she would have supported doing either option the board had to offset the rate, using some of the $63,000 in surplus excise tax or using the $16,574 by which the $353,618 undesignated fund balance exceeds two months’ bills.
In the meeting, Pentaleri said the rate was a “compromise” in that the board built in a smaller amount than it could have for overlay, or cushion for possible costs that exceed the budget. “We’re not even close to the maximum range of overlay.” They could have done an overlay equal to 5% of the budget; they went with eight-tenths of 1%, he explained in a phone interview.
Pentaleri said the budget approved at town meeting ran about $270,000 higher than the one that passed in 2022. He said the town has been paying more for everything, like households have been; and he cited labor cost hikes, the hiring of a replacement plowing contractor and the start of payments on the Cross Road project as other factors.
He added in the interview, “There’s nobody who gets out of bed and says that they want to increase their taxes. We had to balance a bunch of considerations ... It’s a compromise,” he reiterated.
Pinkham Pond and Head Tide Dam are getting new signage on the sites’ being for day use only. Selectmen said overnight partying has gone on near the dam and there has been damage, human waste and toilet paper and other trash.
Meanwhile, the town is waiting for new word from Maine Department of Environmental Protection about the rocks recently lain at Pinkham Pond. Second Selectman Steve Graham said DEP has now suggested the town keep the aggregate and seek a permit rather than restoring the spot.
Jeff Spinney reiterated his issue with planning board member Cathy Johnson’s chairing when that panel has been reviewing Chair Jim Amaral’s shoreland application. Spinney has said Johnson is a “named litigant” in one of his and the town’s ongoing court matters stemming from his shoreland project.
In an email response Saturday, Johnson said she did not attend the selectmen’s meeting “so have no comment on things that may have been said there.” As for Spinney’s noting Amaral’s application was not on the town’s website like his was, Smith said Amaral’s has been sent to the web master for posting.
Also in the July 13 meeting, Stone asked anyone wanting to donate a cord or two of firewood for those in need, or donate time to transport and stack firewood, to email her at 3rdselectmanalna@gmail.com
