Budget Information

The City of Bangor's budget is comprised of three distinctly governed components: municipal, education, and county. The major factors that impact the City of Bangor budget annually are Bangor's assessed property value, non-property tax revenues (excise tax, revenue sharing, permits and licenses, etc) and expenses (wages, utilities, fuel, etc), and the State of Maine budget.

Municipal Budget

The municipal component of the City's overall budget funds both mandatory and optional services. The most common municipally funded services include Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Library, etc.

On or before the second Monday in April, the City Manager submits to the City Council a proposed operating budget for the ensuing fiscal year. The proposed operating budget will be made available on this page upon its release.

The Council holds public meetings and a final budget must be prepared and adopted no later than June 30th. Should the Council fail to adopt an operating budget on or before June 30th, by Charter, the budget proposed by the City Manager becomes effective.

Education Budget

The education component of the City's overall budget funds pre-K through Grade 12 education as well as Adult Education. Major components of the budget include employees' salaries and benefits, utilities and maintenance for the 11 schools, supplies and textbooks for the students, transportation, Special Education, etc.

The School Department Budget is available online via the Bangor School Department website.

County Budget

The Penobscot County Government is directed and overseen by an elected Commission of three members along with an elected Treasurer, Sheriff, District Attorney, Registrar of Probate, Judge of Probate, and Registrar of Deeds. A summary listing of services, which are provided on a County-wide basis, would include the Penobscot County Jail; Sheriff’s Department; PRCC / 911 (Penobscot Regional Communications Center); District Attorney’s office; EMA (Emergency Management Agency); and Registry of Probate & Registry of Deeds.

An annual budget is prepared with growth guided by the LD1 growth factor and presented during a public meeting to the Budget Committee for their review and approval; however, the final budget approval is acted upon by the three Commissioners. Once the budget is approved, the municipalities’ share is based upon an allocation determined by their State of Maine official valuation as a percentage of the entire Penobscot County valuation.

Click here to be directed to the Penobscot County website

State of Maine Budget

Information about the State's budget process, including the enacted Biennial Budget, can be found on the State's website:

State of Maine Bureau of the Budget

As the State of Maine budget provides a variety of funding to the City of Bangor to support municipal and education services the State budget can have a significant impact on the Bangor taxpayers.