PARIS — Residents interested in municipal finances met at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School on Monday evening to discuss the town budget and to hopefully leave with a better understanding of what all the numbers mean.

Attendees were feeling the pinch of higher taxes, in part, because of a recent revaluation of properties, a decrease in state revenue-sharing and a higher property tax rate.

Since then, concerned residents have formed groups on social media and organized petitions calling for a cap on the tax rate. The town has discussed surveying residents to decide what cuts to town services they could live with if the residents’ petition is passed.

Several residents decided to host Monday’s meeting, calling on an impartial Norway resident to moderate in anticipation of heated emotions.

“While I have a loving interest in what happens in Paris, I have no vested interest,” the Rev. Don Mayberry of Norway said. “This is an informational meeting only. We’re not voting on anything, not deciding anything. It’s just to be more informed when it comes time to vote.”

Mayberry is pastor of the First Congregational Church in Paris.

He urged attendees to “spend (their) time as neighbors” and to not let the anxiety of facing higher taxes cause disruptive behavior.

Residents were calm throughout the discussion, even as they expressed frustration over how difficult it was to understand the itemized budget.

Some of the few dozen attendees were unaware that Budget Committee meetings were open to the public, or that some of the line items on the budget were state mandates and therefore can’t be cut.

Town officials previously said they will review the budget in an attempt to find approximately $500,000 in cuts. However, such cuts would inevitably translate into a reduction in town services. Which services should be on the chopping block remained a subject for possible future debate.

“We have these services that we demand as a society and then we struggle with how to pay for them,” one attendee said. “When the Fire Department can’t get to your house because the road isn’t plowed, you won’t like it.”

After an introduction to the town’s budget process, one person asked why the warrant articles at annual town meetings only offered lump sums for each department, and why the line-by-line itemizations were unavailable for review prior to the town meeting vote.

There was a general consensus from residents that if they were taking the time and effort to become more educated voters, they would like to have those numbers available prior to the meeting to aid them in their decision.

Organizers of Monday’s meeting said there may be similar gatherings, and people should continue being informed and take their concerns to the town manager or selectmen.

The Budget Committee and selectmen will meet 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the fire station.

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