Welcome to the District Five Insider, a weekly newsletter keeping you informed about the big decisions being made inside Council Chambers, what they mean for District Five, and how you can get involved in shaping our community. Enter your email and hit subscribe to receive this newsletter in your mailbox every week.

Thursday, January 25, 2024

Monday’s Council workshop marked the start of budget season, so this week’s newsletter is devoted to looking at a few of our fiscal challenges, solutions we can implement at the Council level, and productive ways for you to get involved in the process.

One Big Thing:

One of the biggest budget challenges we face is the need for ongoing financial support from the State to continue our work as Maine’s largest social services hub. This year, Portland received a $7.4M payment to help offset the cost of the many services we offer, such as providing shelter to people experiencing homelessness and connecting them with the help they need to get back on their feet. These one-time funds may not come through for us next year.

What it means

A shortfall of $7.4M would require a 7.8% increase to the municipal mill rate, or about $350 per year to the median homeowner’s property tax bill.

Why it matters

As Maine’s largest city, Portland will always be a service hub, whether it’s for social services, or other types of services. People come to Portland to buy a new car, fly out of our Jetport, seek the care of a medical specialist, or go out for a great meal. It’s unsurprising that we’re also the place people turn to when they’ve lost their housing, their job, or want to make a new start. The question isn’t whether we will provide these services in the future, but rather how we will fund them.

How you can help

If you have 10 Minutes you can make a big impact on this budget line by calling your representative 1-800-423-2900 or senator 1-800-423-6900 or by emailing Governor Mills and urging the State to increase General Assistance support to Portland and other municipalities.

Every community needs to do their part, not just Portland. If you have 15-30 minutes, you can help by providing written public testimony in support of the following bill, scheduled for public hearing on January 30th.

LD2146 An Act to Prohibit Certain Municipalities from Adopting Moratoria
on Emergency Shelters (State and Local Government Committee)

Two More Quick Hits:

Wages and Benefits for City Workers

Many important City of Portland positions are currently unfilled, including a number of great jobs with the Parks and Recreation Department, keeping Portland’s roads and sidewalks clear, and maintaining the recreational facilities that make winter in our City so much fun.

Overtime and contract labor costs associated with vacancies across all departments, plus a predicted rise in health insurance premiums, could total nearly $9M in additional expenses next year.

Support your city: help us recruit workers by sharing a link to open positions on social media. Or submit an application yourself!

Tax and rent relief is available for seniors

In 2017, the City Council approved the Portland Senior Tax Equity Program (P-STEP), a budget neutral tax relief program for low-income seniors. For over five years, it has provided property tax or rent rebates for income qualified applicants. Under this revenue neutral program, taxes were increased slightly for everyone across the city, creating a sufficient margin by which to issue seniors under a certain income threshold a rebate check. To qualify, applicants must be 62 years of age or older and must have received a Maine Property Tax Fairness Credit in the tax year of the P-STEP application. A new application must be filed every year, between January 1 – July 31. The Treasury Division automatically sends a new application to those who qualified in the previous year. The Finance Committee is also looking at ways to expand this program to all ages so that the tax burden falls more equitably across income levels. Contact the members of the Finance Committee to voice your support for expanded property tax relief.

Pet of the Week!

Say hello to Winston, lover of muddy romps through the trails behind Evergreen Cemetery and long lazy couch snoozers. “Winnie” has Houdini-level escape skills and has never met a screen door he can’t open. He lives in Deering Center.

Each week we share a photo and description of a District 5 pet who brightens our day. Do you have a furry friend you want us to feature? Please send your suggestions by email or text.

ksykes@portlandmaine.gov     207-558-5764

Notice: Under Maine law, documents – including e-mails and text messages – in the possession of public officials or city employees about government business may be classified as public records. There are very few exceptions. As a result, please be advised that what is written in a text message or e-mail could be released to the public and/or the media if requested.