The Lewiston City Council is exploring potential layoffs and hiring freezes as strategies to reduce the proposed 2027 budget. The council convened for a budget workshop to discuss options for further budget reductions. No final decisions have been made.
What happened
The Lewiston City Council met to discuss ways to lower the proposed 2027 budget. City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath and Finance Director Tracy Roy presented options to the council, including potential layoffs and a hiring freeze.
How many employees affected
The council is considering options that include laying off three or eight government employees. Additionally, the city has already frozen nine public works positions, one fire department position, and two police department positions.
Why layoffs happened
The proposed layoffs and hiring freezes are being considered to lower the city's budget. Even with the potential layoffs, the tax rate could still increase by 11.3 percent.
Company background
This article refers to the city government of Lewiston, Maine, and its budgetary process.
Industry impact
Government entities often face difficult decisions regarding budget constraints, balancing the need to provide services with the financial burden on taxpayers. Layoffs and hiring freezes can impact city services.
What's next
The council has not yet made any official decisions and is weighing the impact of potential layoffs against the need to reduce the tax burden on Lewiston residents.
Source: spectrumlocalnews.com