Taxpayer advisory group urges MSAD 51 and towns to adopt a tax levy cap, warns of past budget growth

Members of the Cumberland–North Yarmouth Taxpayer Advisory asked the MSAD 51 board during public comment to support a local tax levy cap that would limit annual increases to the higher of 2% or the rate of inflation.

Michael Sweat, speaking for the advisory group, outlined six reasons the group supports a cap, including that recent local tax increases “far outpace inflation,” that in the past four years the group calculated school spending rose about 34% (adding “over 14,500,000” in new spending), and that recent municipal votes showed low turnout and signs of voter concern (North Yarmouth rejected both a new school and the school budget this year; Cumberland’s budget passage was narrow).

The group also highlighted uncertainty about the tax impact of a planned locally funded $54 million school bond and flagged unpredictable state revenue‑sharing as a source of instability for municipal budgets. The advisory cited the Maine Policy Institute as a statewide proponent of tax levy caps and said, by its count, 36 states have levy caps and eight more were considering them in 2025.

David McLaughlin, another public commenter, said a tax cap would “send a message to the community” and urged the board to consider workshops and to engage the group in planning to “slow down the pace” of spending growth. Both public commenters framed their remarks as requests for the board and the two towns to consider putting such limits in place or on local ballots.

Board members did not take a vote on the proposal at the meeting; it was presented as public comment and as a suggested policy direction for the communities and the school district to consider.