[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6568056,"mediaKeyId","3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128","parentId",3219002,"title","Council hears $4.3 million downtown TIF spending plan and Downtown Bangor Partnership’s request to raise the special assessment","audioSeconds",310,"startMs",1104800,"endMs",1415660,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128&start=1104&end=1415","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128/thumbnail_1104800.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6568056/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/Council-hears-43-million-downtown-TIF-spending-plan-and-Downtown-Bangor-Partnerships-request-to-raise-the-special-assessment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6568056-7707d30eabcc3fcd3bd741ccdc319575/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201943&Signature=e-pYLJ6RI-jNVvUsdteyGTn9w74AWpd5guOWBu1BrroQr9gRvPpCYcpQdjY-g29kbCLfXyzSuwD5xvfwFDvEmlSPSJVAfrsHT0XMr0cnyNtdzK-9BAi74~Gdc9m8b6z49levgWnVbEk63zwLxytkLQqRP4OLaZDTO~lj4IpoeaTHEMJQoibezFF23gud~fWJzt~9nGLGxZgKtabaNZvXY9SQRiaOYHm7M8oITbUJAJueXOLGyeRBkcoFonMj4bhC7cAi1GBayliqKoNL7nbh5WD0QHHHKwXn1pe2QOef8IOv6MCQ3Gk1SSrhMOiXHBjgdrcEKApxxwfr2PGw8AYprQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Bangor Maine","date","2025-05-08T10:45:54Z","article","City finance staff and representatives of the Downtown Bangor Partnership presented the council with proposed uses of downtown Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenues and a companion special assessment district budget at the May 7 budget workshop.

Finance staff said the downtown TIF fund is being proposed to cover roughly $4,300,000 of planning‑period expenses, including debt service tied to the Columbia Street parking deck and arena, demolition costs for the old police building on Court Street and multiyear projects such as a $2,000,000 village partnership reserve. The TIF plan also lists downtown sidewalks, pedestrian improvements, bulkhead redevelopment, retaining wall work along the waterfront, generator and camera installations, lighting upgrades and reserves for the Cross Insurance Center among planned uses.

“The downtown TIF has always been planned to utilize for some debt service. That’s the Columbia Street parking deck as well as the arena,” a city presenter said. The speaker noted some items will be funded from leftover TIF balances from prior years rather than new incremental capture.

Betsy Lundy, representing the Downtown Bangor Partnership, said the partnership’s budget request emphasizes marketing, events and beautification, with expanded tourism marketing and data‑tracking work through a regional partnership. She described experiments targeting visitors from New York City, Boston and other markets and said the partnership has run successful campaigns that drove traffic to downtown event and dining pages.

Lundy said the partnership proposed two special‑assessment options to the downtown board — a 5¢ and a 7¢ increase per $1,000 of assessed value — and that the board unanimously approved the 7¢ option to fund expanded staffing (bringing a full‑time position on), payroll increases, enhanced marketing and a continued downtown ambassadors program. Lundy said the partnership still requests about $230,000 from the downtown TIF to cover a portion of the ambassadors contract, as in the prior year.

City staff outlined the next legislative and procedural steps: a first reading of the special assessment order and the budget on May 28, and a second reading and final vote on June 9, each with public hearings, and an anticipated contract with Bangor Center Management d/b/a Downtown Bangor Partnership to administer downtown services if approved.

Lundy also described a proposed waterfront and underpass project developed with Wabanaki Public Health and other partners that would add lighting and decorative, functional planters to filter stormwater and interpretive topiary figures with audio/QR elements to invite visitors from the waterfront into historic downtown; she said the project is grant‑dependent.

Councilors asked for additional financial detail and year‑to‑date actuals, and staff agreed to supply those figures at a later meeting. No council vote was taken at the workshop; staff presented the plan and the partnership’s recommended assessment options for future readings and hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Budget Workshop 5.7.25","oneSentenceSummary","City staff and the Downtown Bangor Partnership outlined a proposed five‑year downtown TIF spending plan totaling about $4.3 million and a companion special‑assessment budget, and the partnership presented a recommended 7¢ per $1,000 assessment increase to fund marketing, staff and ambassador services.","taxTitle","Bangor City, Penobscot County, Maine","taxId",2586,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6568061,"Finance director: switching to commercial paid family medical leave could lower homeowner rate increase to about 4.9%",131,789675,921435,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128&start=789&end=921","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128/thumbnail_789675.jpg","/articles/6568061/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/Finance-director-switching-to-commercial-paid-family-medical-leave-could-lower-homeowner-rate-increase-to-about-49","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6568061-36bb1502b579af5c814090ec03a2c4c2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201943&Signature=dUUuh4X-jV4tZdWHYskDYaFw0HF2tPmELWhdh~cZ0GT08B9xi-69KUsDi1saXJu43Ib9oAPHBpEPgBGYmiBNgLvpNnUa1CK1btuhcI79PPJ9OHxsSsNT~KCSEm8s2N4cj9OqXtUVexFFD9R-fOki486D189xDPuFiiQeq3ztsnlKpJb5f8EYVZOmFOrBlXXcE~F-YM7pEcAP8zT66xvgex47dvTXOpXMxe~KVgq4gx3Tpd-noehcFb6WSBg32n2TY-zYX3r9bI0ibsC5EOWhtcxvBGyGQmMlZUfDFQC76DW33bi3FP21Le5OOrNQ5iQ1c7rd9s2zDUU~7SqM4J7Wlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Finance Director Dave Little told the Bangor City Council at its May 7 budget workshop that the finance committee recommended the city move to a commercial paid family medical leave plan and that the change would reduce the budget’s projected impact on the average residential homeowner.

“At the finance committee, the finance committee made a recommendation for the council to consider going to a commercial plan for paid family medical leave. And 1 of the pieces of information we put in there is over the period of time, we expect to save about $850,000,” Little said.

Little said the budget process began with personnel assumptions in January and staff keep revisiting those assumptions as hires, turnover and other changes occur. He said the combination of the assessor’s revised valuation assumptions and the estimated costs for paid family medical leave produced a materially lower homeowner impact in the proposed budget. “When we started the proposed budget process, we were looking at about a 7.8% average increase to the average residential homeowner. The change in the values assumptions that Phil shared with us, the change in, the estimated costs related to paid family medical leave has actually allowed that number to come down … It is now sitting at about 4.9%,” Little said.

Little cautioned that review of personnel and other line items is ongoing and the budget is not finalized. He urged councilors to continue identifying potential reduction targets so staff can refine reduction plans and produce updated figures.

No formal decision was taken at the workshop; Little framed the committee recommendation and the updated estimate as information for council deliberations.","Finance Director Dave Little told the council the finance committee recommended a move to a commercial paid family medical leave plan, projecting roughly $850,000 in savings and lowering the estimated average residential homeowner increase in the proposed budget from 7.8% to about 4.9%.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6568066,"City assessor says neighborhood market adjustments will be trimmed as 2026 revaluation proceeds",455,47735,503280,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128&start=47&end=503","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128/thumbnail_47735.jpg","/articles/6568066/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/City-assessor-says-neighborhood-market-adjustments-will-be-trimmed-as-2026-revaluation-proceeds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6568066-7c336269fc1a176e46b9bb984fe69159/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201944&Signature=FmF45tkynEpWHqSMsxkZ3Zf1zbhCK9oTk8E9KqvGCcDgPh5m-zc-61XmoqeqeHYTweBuIzHJADq2bI84ES4aHB1o9FCyA1O2un-kHrT1L9EbW3tZoq7GwTFPU4tvZuqlW11wt7FI3TpVulEn~QwJADiU5O~NZK2q30ZyjxUzHjxY9wOQyNzyQUbnGPGrOFtGQOTi3DLpf8X8g09VJ9QXpFpewQkFxbbpGhBVW85j7q9TgCwHC0ZVOtwE7WJ57bZd4Gsp9d041ZH7fQjb7-HUAImhZwv-xHzMl7agFL3jc3oPKQ02i6KNa6x2bABu8-jTpbi3HRim83Ik-hVhHjt92g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Phil Drew, the city assessor, told the Bangor City Council at its May 7 budget workshop that the office will reduce previously planned market adjustments for many neighborhoods as the city prepares for its 2026 reevaluation.

“The real takeaway is the market based adjustments that we made on the residential and small multifamily properties can be down adjusted,” Drew said, describing sales and days‑on‑market data the office used to revise its recommendations.

The assessor said median sale prices rose in mid‑2024 but by March 2025 had fallen back to July 2024 levels, and days on market increased from as low as five days to roughly 44 days. Drew said Zillow’s one‑year forecast showed flat to slightly up price expectations for the region, and that the reevaluation work to set values as of April 1, 2026 will use sales from roughly April 2025–April 2026 as its principal year of sales.

Drew gave the council several quantitative summaries: Bangor has about 6,827 single‑family and condo units affected by the adjustments; the overall average adjustment for small residential properties is about 8.1 percent; and the average assessed value across the city is now roughly $265,000. He said Zillow reported an average sale price for Bangor of about $274,000 in March 2025 and Realtor.com reported a median near $283,000.

“We’re still able to achieve the state's mid quartile mean statistic of overall 91%,” Drew said, noting that the city can claim a certified ratio around that mark and will not need to down‑value personal property to match residential values unless the certified ratio fell further.

Drew also said the net effect of the adjustments discussed in his January memo would reduce total assessed value by about $40,000,000 this year, but he noted new growth and market adjustments together leave the city's total assessed value close to 6 percent higher year over year. The assessor said personal property processing was still incomplete and he planned to provide an update to the council by the end of the following week; he described the personal property figures as “not specified” at the workshop.

Council members asked whether foreseeable variables might change the certified ratio, and Drew replied assessors generally avoid forecasting beyond the sales data they use. In response to a question from Dr. Mallard about whether inspectors are picking up unpermitted improvements on existing buildings, Drew said the reevaluation contractor had not yet provided a report on what it had or had not captured and the city would do its own independent work ahead of the April 1, 2026 assessment.

Drew described neighborhood adjustments that had been proposed in January — initially in the range of plus 12 to plus 14 percent for 21 neighborhoods (about 3,700 properties) — and said those adjustments have been lowered to roughly 6 to 7 percent to better reflect recent market stability.

The assessor closed by reiterating that revaluation work next year should bring assessed ratios closer to market value and by promising the council a follow‑up on personal property processing before June.","Assessor Phil Drew updated the Bangor City Council on changes to residential and small multifamily market adjustments, saying neighborhood increases will be reduced and the city’s certified ratio sits near the state mid‑quartile target of 91 percent; personal property numbers remain incomplete.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6568048,"Council hears IT staffing and systems proposals as one member sharply criticizes finance operations and audit timeline",763,3414885,4178675,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128&start=3414&end=4178","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128/thumbnail_3414885.jpg","/articles/6568048/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/Council-hears-IT-staffing-and-systems-proposals-as-one-member-sharply-criticizes-finance-operations-and-audit-timeline","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6568048-5184c44e7d5f9958ed0b4735f82430f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201944&Signature=FOLqPfr0-YniHVEhhx39Me8mIKat59nE3ExZn~LHcKv66uVeRJB1TUf2nki~Uz9f7kqYXgKvffXd6KtPqxqvaeQFlsQGkSG1hw4Gv2SsJSBJ3w8MzwkKzJ6pUEqauMIwL4s9M0CFZRVz-VOrBNCGAt1XB4M25AZxM0QTcg-YtX1ztpeIaocG55zbS8Fk-xdES~dLrlcFmJaj~qsLkhlq46h~Z~YqPhUV~wcXtJxW1IlOLpgZXf0kSYpBjpcwnxscsxhCSOEAkCRUno8z4NtvxWTW3PWQDInBk5UnTFo2NbPWImyXO5FgLf~wErCKgKh-onuF2XtBUx5Y43L65G0UIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance and information services staff told the Bangor City Council on May 7 that they are seeking funding for two new information‑security positions and for continued investment in a new financial, land use and HR system; one councilor used the workshop to air serious concerns about finance operations and audit management.

Assistant city manager Courtney O’Donnell and finance presenters described two information‑security new‑program requests: a cybersecurity analyst and a cloud security analyst. Staff said the airport is currently required under federal rules to maintain an airport cybersecurity plan and that the positions would help meet existing federal reporting obligations, monitor cloud‑based programs and reduce the city’s exposure as more systems move to cloud services.

Finance staff also described a plan to add $225,000 in the current budget toward a combined financial/HR system; that amount would bring the city’s set‑aside to about $750,000 to permit the city to issue a bid for a new integrated system next year. Staff said the request is intended to position the city to replace aging financial software and to seek an integrated solution rather than buy separate systems that may not interoperate.

During the finance presentation, Councilor Donner delivered extended remarks criticizing the department’s strategic planning, the pace of IT modernization and what Donner described as problems with the city’s audit process and RFP handling. Donner said the materials on accomplishments and challenges lacked specificity, called for a dedicated IT department and said the city’s delay on airport common‑use systems and other technology had likely cost revenue and hampered service. “I have massive, massive concerns with this department, and I think it needs a massive, massive overhaul,” Donner said.

Other councilors and staff responded in part by urging professional conduct during public meetings and noting personnel‑confidentiality limits; staff also acknowledged ongoing work on cybersecurity and system replacements and said some requests were intended to get the city ahead of probable future federal requirements for other public infrastructure.

No personnel hires or system procurements were approved at the workshop; staff requested direction and possible budget additions for the two cybersecurity positions and the financial system set‑aside in advance of formal budget adoption.","Finance staff proposed two cybersecurity positions and funding toward a replacement financial/HR system; Councilor Donner publicly expressed deep concerns about finance operations, audit timing and the department’s strategy for IT and RFP processes.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6568053,"Public services requests $7.9 million in capital projects; councilors press for reserve use to limit operating impacts",319,1471825,1791780,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128&start=1471&end=1791","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3219002-1d733029cc4cd33bb3300797d49ec128/thumbnail_1471825.jpg","/articles/6568053/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/Public-services-requests-79-million-in-capital-projects-councilors-press-for-reserve-use-to-limit-operating-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6568053-85a2caf27ae681e3c2ff299bed26a2e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201944&Signature=o613obBZH0RS99RCyCpkpFaW3d6FBjO330-QPZTeGTF7sPr4U2CyUWZmokdgFl2kwqxSdnzSQjEz~ernIWK200VpwPacVVLipwWlLGU66hnLsS60Kn8rtFcosvdyBYqdvAu0K~22jlrJn3Zxte-Na6EunlLTLRe-I0fslXwnYdT0SkqQWmtZE50fQskUdaixQ3AXsKq6aGFMU1p0fcDyXaahUdyhGWo0pU-ztxUdzuzeTWH~X~~BxKqtC0cazkS63LVMkDKO5ln4fz1gZOR2KxKlOXc5TkP7oTBB7bbIdGxzwfcBFS-E8Q4QdizafQwP3hbKpPME4q3bIsH-w0U-4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public services staff told the Bangor City Council on May 7 that the department’s proposed operating budget is about $13,000,003 and that it requests roughly $7,900,000 in capital investments for paving, vehicle and equipment replacement and infrastructure projects.

Staff said revenues for the public services group are budgeted at about $1,900,000, driven in part by solid waste disposal fees, and noted the expenditure increase over the prior year is tied to payroll, curbside removal, utilities, parts and insurance. The department submitted a new‑program capital request for a compact excavator; staff said new program requests are not included in the city manager’s recommended budget and will need council approval to be added.

Councilor Beck and others pressed staff to consider shifting more projects into infrastructure or improvement reserves to reduce the operating‑budget burden on taxpayers. “We have 2.7 million in our improvement reserve … it would be nice to kind of share some of it back in a sense,” Beck said, citing examples such as fleet‑maintenance shop improvements and light duty pickups that she suggested could be funded from reserves.

City staff responded that the draft audit shows fewer available surpluses this year because vacancy savings have declined as positions were filled; staff said current reserve balances provide roughly two to three years of additional capital funding only if current trends continue. On the solid‑waste question, staff attributed a roughly $100,000 revenue increase to annual CPI/tipping‑fee adjustments and a rise in commercial waste tonnage observed at the scale house.

Councilors also asked about useful life and bond terms for large equipment. Staff said the typical useful life for heavy items such as plow bodies is about 12 years and that the city matches bond maturities to the life of the underlying asset, which can result in bonds with longer maturities for specific capital packages.

No capital additions were adopted at the workshop; staff will bring requested reserve and project detail back to the committee and council as part of ongoing budget deliberations.","Public services staff presented a $13.0 million operating budget with $7.9 million in capital requests for paving, equipment replacement and infrastructure; councilors asked whether reserves could cover more capital to reduce operating budget impacts and sought details on solid‑waste and equipment life assumptions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears $4.3 million downtown TIF spending plan and Downtown Bangor Partnership’s request to raise the special assessment

Finance director: switching to commercial paid family medical leave could lower homeowner rate increase to about 4.9%

City assessor says neighborhood market adjustments will be trimmed as 2026 revaluation proceeds

Council hears IT staffing and systems proposals as one member sharply criticizes finance operations and audit timeline

Public services requests $7.9 million in capital projects; councilors press for reserve use to limit operating impacts