By Liam LaFountain
Every year, the city makes difficult choices about where to invest tax dollars — from public safety and road repairs to parks and essential services. Budget season is when those decisions take shape.
The city budget is more than numbers — it’s a fiscal statement of what Biddeford values and how much we value it. It determines funding for schools, emergency services, infrastructure, and other priorities. Every dollar spent reflects a choice about the kind of city we want and the future we are building together.
Biddeford’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, meaning we are currently operating under the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The budget now under review will determine spending for FY2026, which begins July 1, 2025.
Over the next few months, elected officials will balance priorities and make difficult choices. This process is one of the most comprehensive and consequential in local government, and understanding it empowers residents to engage effectively.
How the Budget Process Works
Each department submits a budget based on projected needs for the next fiscal year. Department heads submitted their requests in January. For example, Public Works must estimate how much salt will be needed for winter storms, a costly but essential factor. The Fire Department may request new life-saving equipment for emergency response. Other departments, from Police to Recreation, have needs ranging from staffing to facility maintenance, utility costs, and programming that must be balanced with competing needs and limited resources.
These requests go to the City Manager’s Office and Finance Department, which review and adjust them to balance needs with available revenues. This process, completed in February, ensures the proposed budget reflects department expertise and fiscal oversight before being submitted to the City Council in March.
How the City Council Reviews the Budget
Once submitted, the City Council forms the Budget Committee, which includes all councilors, to review the budget in depth. The committee meets regularly — typically on Monday and Thursday evenings for several months — to refine the budget.
The first few meetings provide an overview of each department’s budget, where department heads present their proposals and answer questions. These meetings, held in Council Chambers, are open to the public. The city’s website will provide a calendar of meetings, public hearings, and deadlines, ensuring residents have multiple opportunities to follow the process and provide input.
Every budget should reflect the values of the people it serves.
— Councilor Liam LaFountain
This is your money, your city, and your budget.
Key Cost Drivers: Why Costs Rise
The FY2025 municipal budget totaled $44.8 million, with the largest shares allocated to Public Safety ($14.2M) and Public Works ($5.9M). This does not include the $47.3 million school budget, which is managed separately by the School Committee.
Property taxes remain the primary funding source for municipal operations, as other revenue sources do not fully account for the level and quantity of services the city provides. While Biddeford also relies on state revenue sharing, tax programs like Homestead and BETE, and other revenue such as building permits and user fees, these sources covered only 35% of municipal expenses in FY2025, leaving property taxes to fund the remaining 65%.
As state revenue sharing and school funding formulas shift costs to municipalities like ours, Biddeford taxpayers have absorbed a greater financial share. Rising wages, energy expenses, and infrastructure needs continue to drive costs higher annually.
Additionally, unfunded state and federal mandates require municipalities to cover new expenses without additional funding, adding to financial pressures. Balancing rising costs while maintaining essential services is a key challenge.
How to Engage in the Process
Public input is crucial. Residents can participate by:
- Attending public hearings and Budget Committee meetings (dates available on the city’s website).
- Reviewing budget documents, available on the city’s website.
- Contacting city councilors with questions or concerns.
- Following updates through city communications and local media.
Every budget should reflect the values of the people it serves. This is your money, your city, and your budget. The choices made in this municipal budget will help shape Biddeford’s services, infrastructure, and priorities. Your engagement ensures a more informed and responsive budget.
If you have thoughts on priorities or questions about the budget process, please contact your city councilor. These discussions help shape the decisions that will impact our city’s future.
The views expressed in this column are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Biddeford City Council.
Liam LaFountain serves as president of the Biddeford City Council. He can be contacted at liam.lafountain@biddefordmaine.org
Editor’s note: This column is not exclusive to the Gazette. It was also published in the Biddeford-Saco Courier
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