Auburn City Council

Monday, Oct. 15

Mayor wants no tax increase next year

What happened: During an open discussion in a City Council workshop Monday, Mayor Jason Levesque said he’d like the council to draft a resolution in the near future that calls for no increase in the property tax rate next year.

What it means: Levesque said he’d like the resolution to go to city and school officials so departments could work together to put together budgets that represent a zero percent increase. 

He said when he campaigned for mayor, he “made promises to stabilize taxes” and do it more effectively by increasing valuation. Budget talks don’t normally begin until the spring because the fiscal year begins July 1. 

Levesque made a similar push this past spring, calling on the School Department to have a zero percent increase. 

He told the council Monday that it would be a challenge, and that the council also needs “to work with city departments, not against them.”

Councilor Andy Titus said he was “completely in support of the idea,” but said the property tax rate is determined only after the final city valuation is assessed. He called for more research and more time to determine how the city could arrive at the goal.

Levesque asked councilors to “look at this to see if it’s feasible. We might not get there but at least we’re making a concerted effort to do this.” 

Councilor Bob Hayes said he’d like to first see how the city is doing in growing its valuation, which has been a stated goal during previous budget talks.

What’s next: Levesque said he’d like the council to discuss the possible resolution further over the next 30 to 45 days. 

New agriculture commission

What happened: During the workshop, Levesque said the first meeting of a new temporary committee on the agriculture and resource protection zone was “pretty eye opening.” He said the previous committee that studied the zone, and its recommendations, was “tainted.” 

What it means: Levesque said the process to study the city’s largest zone has been marred by “disinformation, fear and loathing in the public and in members of the old committee.”

Levesque set up the new committee to study two specific zoning rules that have been controversial in the agriculture zone, including one that requires a landowner to own at least 10 acres and make at least 50 percent of household income from farming in order to build a new home. 

“Just because were talking about those rules doesn’t mean we’re building 5,000 new homes on farmland,” he said.

Councilor Belinda Gerry said she didn’t agree with Levesque that the previous committee was tainted. 

What’s next: Levesque said a new survey will go to residents in the zone. The committee will next meet on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at Auburn Hall. 

Troy St discontinuance

What happened: The council voted 5-2 to discontinue Troy Street, effective once the Hampshire Street workforce housing development by The Szanton Co. is underway.

What it means: Troy Street will essentially be used as an entrance and parking for the development.

While the project has been approved for awhile, concern remains over the project’s impact on parking for the Auburn Public Library, which has used the Troy Street property as an overflow lot for years.

Councilor Titus said he hasn’t seen enough on what the city plans to do to make up the parking, adding that the city “has sacrificed a lot in this project.” 

City Manager Peter Crichton said there were meetings with the library trustees, but the trustees were not comfortable with a previous proposal to build additional parking on library green space.