Proposed York County budget increase is 13 percent

ALFRED – The York County government general fund budget for the fiscal year that begins July is proposed at $28.44 million, up by $3.27 million over this year’s spending plan, or about 13 percent.

The increases, County Manager Greg Zinser told York County Commissioners at their initial review Wednesday, April 2, is primarily due to rising personnel and utility costs. Additionally, the skyrocketing municipal valuations as set by the state is shifting the tax burden among the county’s towns and cities.

“Some of the valuations have gone through the roof,” said Zinser, and are up overall by nearly $7 billion.

A sampling of state valuation of four municipalities shows the coastal town of York was valued by the state at $6.98 billion in 2024, and at $8.1 billion in 2025. Inland, Sanford’s 2024 valuation was $2.46 billion, and at $2.82 billion in 2025, while Buxton’s valuation increased from $1.36 billion in 2024 to $1.48 billion in 2025. In Newfield, an inland York County community with a relatively small population, the state valuation was $411 million in 2024 and $472 million in 2025.

Zinser estimated about two-thirds of the $3.27 million overall budget increase is due to personnel costs and higher utility costs – a five-year electricity contract has expired and costs for other utilities, like telephone services are up as well. He told commissioners a contract with one of the county’s three unions has been approved and the administration is in talks with two others.

Zinser pointed out that about $1.4 million of the increase is due to jail costs. He noted the jail’s medically assisted treatment program, one of the largest in Maine, costs about $680,000 annually,  for which the state provides an estimated $120,000. And while the state’s contribution to York County Jail was $2.75 million in the current fiscal year, that is expected to be reduced to about $2.4 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The budget contains a provision for a groundskeeper and some money to pay seasonal interns in the York County District Attorney’s Office. The groundskeeping function is not new, Zinser said, and until recently was accomplished through seeking bids from landscaping firms.

“The bids doubled, so we rejected them,” said Zinser. “If you don’t approve this position, we need to keep the money in there and maybe a bit more to go back out to bid.”

The departmental budget for the new regional first responder training center, expected to go online early in 2026, is proposed at slightly under $300,000. Commissioners debated and then voted to add $50,000 in contingency funding to cover any unexpected expenses.

The departmental budget for the recovery center, expected to go online in 2026, is proposed at slightly under $1.4 million, up 9.3 percent from the existing Layman Way Recovery Center, which is due to shutter later this year.

In additional to the general overview, commissioners heard from several York County government departments and will continue their review at 4:30 p.m. April 9 at the York County government building, 149 Jordan Springs Road in Alfred.

Once the 5-member board of commissioners hears from all departments and then deliberate, they will take a vote. The commissioners then hand the spending plan over to the York County Budget Committee, which was set to caucus to fill the roster of vacant representatives at 6:30 p.m. April 9 at the government building. The budget board will review the spending plan, usually over a series of meetings, set a public hearing and following that, take a vote.

Revenue other than what is created by taxes to the municipalities is seeing some improvement, though overall, the county’s ability to create revenues streams is limited, Zinser noted. Revenue aside from municipal assessments is projected to offset about $3.94 million of the $28.44 million proposed county budget.

Revenue from the Registry of Deeds transfer tax is projected to increase by $100,000, to $1.15 million in the next fiscal year and deeds recording fee revenues up by $50,000, to $1.35 million.

Registrar of Deeds Nancy Hammond noted that the registry recorded 7,200 deeds in 2024. Overall, the registry recorded more than 45,500 documents, up by about 4,000. She said a new bill that would increase recording fees is under consideration by the Legislature.

“If that happens, our overall collection of fees will go up,” Hammond said. “Maine has the lowest recording fees in New England and perhaps in the entire United States.”

Investment earnings are projected to be up by about $100,000 in the next fiscal year.

Draft budget documents can be found online at www.yorkcountymaine.gov/finance.