Lewiston Council to Delay Revaluation, Explore Tier 3 Budget Cuts

The Lewiston City Council directed a one-year delay in the implementation of the city's first revaluation in 38 years to allow residents time to prepare for significant tax increases. Additionally, the council indicated a majority preference for Tier 3 budget cuts, which include potential staff reductions, to mitigate the impact of a proposed double-digit tax increase.

Key points

• Councilors voted to delay the full implementation of new property valuations by at least one year, with some members advocating for a two-year delay.
• Council President David B. Chittim was the sole member favoring immediate implementation, arguing that delaying would prolong tax inequities and increase administrative costs.
• The council expressed a majority preference for Tier 3 budget cuts, which involve staff layoffs, over deeper cuts that would result in minimal additional savings.
• City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath noted that the list of potentially impacted employees cannot be released in executive session at this time due to legal constraints.
• Councilor Joshua L. Nagine emphasized the need for outreach to ensure residents apply for available tax credits and exemptions before the new values take effect.
• The assessor recommended against a phased-in approach due to the complexity and cost of maintaining multiple valuation schedules over several years.

Next steps

• Administration will begin the legal process to notify potentially impacted employees regarding Tier 3 budget cuts.
• The city will mail new valuation notices to property owners next Friday, including information on available tax relief programs.
• The council will reconvene on Tuesday to further discuss budget amendments and the implementation timeline for the revaluation delay.

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