Biddeford residents | ‘Please raise my taxes’

During Tuesday’s public hearing about next year’s municipal budget, a majority of those speaking supported increased spending and no cuts to social service programs

By RANDY SEAVER | Editor

More than 60 people – including many supporters of the McArthur Library — packed the Biddeford City Council Chambers Tuesday to listen and speak at the first public hearing of the city’s proposed FY ’27 municipal budget.

Surprisingly – despite a proposed increase of more than 10 percent – supporters of the budget outflanked those who expressed concerns about increased spending by a margin of roughly 3 to 1.

During the hearing, resident Matt Boutet told the city council, “I’m here tonight to speak in favor of raising my taxes.”

Boutet said he and his family enjoy living in a “beautiful city” with ample parks, recreation opportunities and community services such as the library.

“When I look at this [proposed] budget, I don’t see a bloated document,” Boutet said. “It’s unfortunate but everything is more expensive now.”

**RESIDENT JOHN COLLINS** advocated for higher property taxes (*Seaver photo*)

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Resident John Collins told the council that he is a recent retiree. He suggested revamping the process of how the city assesses residential property taxes, but also suggested that his property tax bill should be higher.

“I’m here as a recent retiree to ask you to increase my taxes,” Collins told the council.

But not everyone in the room supported sharp budget increases.

Resident Scott Croteau delivered a frank message to the council, expressing frustration about how the city was run, including inefficiencies and delayed financial audits, during a prior administration.

“At some point, we have to decrease our overall spending,” Croteau said, pointing out that Maine residents have some of the highest utility costs in the nation.

“Things are not getting better, they are getting worse,” he added, saying he would be “okay” with a very modest increase of three percent or less.

**RESIDENT SCOTT CROUTEAU** told the city council that many residents are struggling, saying the city should not raise taxes anywhere above three percent. (*Seaver photo*)

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But the biggest factor driving commentary at Tuesday’s public hearing was the unmistakable presence of McArthur Library supporters, most of whom were dressed in maroon clothing and wore patches with an image of the library.

The privately operated library is once again asking for $1 million of taxpayer support for their own operating budget.

This year’s request for library funding remains flat, with no increase over last year’s request, said Nicole Clark, the library’s executive director.

According to Clark, the library’s funding request represents roughly 50 percent of the library’s annual operating costs. The remaining costs, she said, will be funded through the library’s existing endowment, donations and other fundraising activities.

“The library is one of the last places we can go without the expectation of spending money,” Clark said.

**LIBRARY DIRECTOR** Nicole Clark delivered an impassioned speech about why the city should give McArthur Library $1 million in city funding this year.

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Resident Michelle Cote was effusive about the library during her remarks to the council from the public podium, describing the facility as “a gem in our city.”

Access to the library, Cote said, is “a true privilege for the community,” pointing out several resources that are available to the public at no charge.

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NOTE | More information, details and downloadable documents about the city’s ongoing budget debate can be found in the Biddeford Gazette’s special section | Biddeford’s FY ’27 Budget Resources.

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