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Councillor Beth proposes state 'service center' credit to shift county tax sharing
Summary
Councillor Beth urged amending the state's county tax-sharing formula to add a 'service center' credit so municipalities that provide concentrated services receive additional funds; councillors expressed support and asked for drafting to present to the legislative delegation.
At the Bangor City Council Legislative Committee’s inaugural meeting, Councillor Beth proposed drafting a state-level legislative request to alter how county taxes are shared so that municipalities serving as regional service centers receive a dedicated credit.
"What I proposed is amending the formula at the state level about how county taxes are shared among all of the communities to include a service credit for service center," Beth said, describing the change as a way to “put more of it on them” and reduce Bangor’s tax burden by recognizing the extra services the city provides.
Councillor Dean told the meeting he favored the idea, calling it a constructive approach that would “credit ourselves for doing something for those municipalities” rather than penalizing neighboring towns.
Beth asked the committee to begin a drafting conversation and bring a proposal to the city’s legislative delegation. Committee members did not vote; the proposal was accepted as an item for future drafting and outreach.
Next steps identified by the committee include drafting language to present to the delegation and coordinating with staff and potential regional partners before bringing any final request to the full council for further action.
