By Gail Geraghty

Staff Writer

Bridgton’s tax rate will increase by around 70 cents under the proposed combined budget for the 2014–2015 fiscal year, Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz said at the selectmen’s April 22 meeting.

Selectmen approved a net operating budget for municipal services of $6,465,240 that will be reduced by  revenues of $1,983,846, leaving a $4,365,000 net commitment to be raised by taxpayers at the June 10 Town Meeting. Last year’s town budget was just over $4.1 million, or $249,152 less than this year’s proposal.

Berkowitz said the overall proposed budget is $13,801,178, when the town’s share of both the SAD #61 School District’s and Cumberland County Government’s budgets is added in. The overall budget proposal is up by $265,698 over last year. He said the full tax rate reflects a $125,000 offset from the surplus account and an estimated town-wide valuation of $994 million.

The tax rate will increase from $13.52 last year to around $14.20, of which $9.16 comes from the school budget. Municipal spending accounts for $4.38 of the tax rate, 64 cents comes from the county budget and six cents from a proposed $60,000 overlay.