LEWISTON, Maine — One week after Lewiston voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed $129.71 million school budget, the Lewiston City Council moved forward Tuesday night with a series of major fiscal votes tied to the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 municipal budget.
The May 19 meeting centered heavily on final appropriations, utility spending, special revenue funds, and city support for local nonprofit and social service organizations as Lewiston continues to navigate public frustration over rising costs, taxes, and the broader financial direction of the city.
The budget debate also comes as Lewiston residents continue to grapple with a controversial citywide revaluation of homes, the first such revaluation in 38 years. The process, which city officials delayed for a year, has fueled anxiety among property owners already concerned about rising tax bills and the cost of local government.
Councilors voted to approve final adjustments to the FY27 municipal budget and formally adopted the resolution making the final appropriation for the 2027 municipal budget year.
The vote came exactly one week after residents rejected the school department’s proposed $129.71 million budget at the ballot box, sending a clear message that many taxpayers remain deeply concerned about the cost of local government.
The school budget fight is not over. The City Council is expected to vote on the revised school budget at its June 2 meeting. The proposal will then go back before voters on the June 9 primary ballot.
In addition to the municipal budget vote, the council also approved appropriations for the city’s special revenue funds for the 2027 fiscal calendar.
Councilors also took up water, sewer, and stormwater budgets following a public hearing on proposed utility fee increases. The council ultimately approved the rate hikes and finalized funding appropriations for Lewiston’s water, sewer, and stormwater services, with the changes set to take effect July 1, 2026.
The meeting also included action on nonprofit and social service funding. Councilors authorized $107,171 in city services and $21,500 in cash donations for nonprofit organizations.
The votes marked a significant step in setting Lewiston’s financial course for the next fiscal year, even as residents continue to push back on increased spending, higher utility costs, and the tax burden facing households across the city.
For Lewiston taxpayers, Tuesday night’s council action underscored the broader fiscal pressure facing the city: municipal spending, school spending, utility rates, and a long-delayed property revaluation are all hitting at the same time residents are demanding greater restraint and accountability.
